…Alleges ₦10,000 traded per vote
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has alleged that votes were traded for as much as ₦10,000 during Saturday’s 2026 Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, co-convener Celestine Odo said that although the elections were largely peaceful, observers recorded widespread vote buying and delays in the start of voting across several polling units.
According to him, reports from observers indicated open vote trading in parts of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), particularly at polling units in Gidan Mangoro Ward, where some voters allegedly sold their votes for up to ₦10,000 each. He noted that while the practice was blatant in some locations, it was carried out more discreetly in others.
Odo also said many polling units opened late, with voting commencing on average around 9:15am. He attributed the delays largely to the late arrival of officials and materials from the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC). While voting began early in parts of Kwali Area Council, late openings were reported in many other areas.
On voter turnout, he said apathy was initially noticeable in parts of AMAC, where many residents went about their daily routines during the early hours. However, participation improved later in the day in Kuje Area Council, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abaji Area Council and Kwali, as queues began to form. Some voters also struggled to find their polling units due to last-minute relocations, despite receiving text message notifications from INEC on the eve of the election.
Odo said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned efficiently in most locations, with accreditation taking about a minute on average, though isolated malfunctions were reported in parts of Gwagwalada and the Abuja city centre.
Security presence was described as strong, with police and other agencies largely professional and courteous. However, he noted isolated incidents of intimidation and disorder in parts of Kuje, Abaji and Gwagwalada, which were quickly brought under control.
Despite the challenges, Odo commended the INEC FCT Help Desk for responding promptly to issues raised by observers, and urged stakeholders to remain calm as voting concludes and collation begins.
The 2026 FCT Area Council elections feature 637 candidates from 17 political parties contesting 68 positions — including 62 councillorship seats and six area council chairmanships — among 1,680,315 registered voters across the FCT.
