Movement Restrictions, Missing Parties & Early Voting Define Crucial Test For APC, ADC, NNPP
Early Hours: Calm Streets, Sparse Voters
THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections began on Saturday under tight security, but early reports indicated low voter turnout in several polling units across Abuja.
By 11:16 a.m., voting was ongoing at Polling Unit 030, EFAB Estate, Lokogoma. Despite having 750 registered voters, turnout remained below 60 voters as of 11:09 a.m. Similarly, at Polling Unit 35 inside Nzube Estate in Lokogoma, under the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), voting had commenced but recorded limited participation. The unit has 532 registered voters.
Earlier, at 10:58 a.m., accreditation and voting started at polling units 015, 0118 and 0117 in Jabi Upstairs, where a modest queue of voters formed.
At Sagwari Extension, Customary Court Security Gate I & II in Dutse Alhaji — with 600 registered voters — election officials and security personnel were present as early as 8:00 a.m., though voters and party agents were initially absent.
Enforcement of Movement Restrictions
Security agencies maintained visible presence across key junctions. At 11:08 a.m., police officers were stationed at Lokogoma junction enforcing movement restrictions announced ahead of the polls. Vehicular movement in the densely populated area remained sparse.
However, compliance appeared partial in Lugbe. By 10:20 a.m., businesses and transport operators were observed operating normally despite the official restriction order, raising questions about enforcement consistency.
The elections are widely regarded as a strategic test for major political parties — particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) — ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political Drama: Withdrawals and Realignments
The political build-up to the elections was marked by dramatic cross-party withdrawals. In Gwagwalada Area Council, the APC chairmanship candidate, Mallam Usman Yahaya, withdrew from the race and endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Kasim Mohammed Ikwa (Wakilin Zuba).
Observers say the defections underscore fluid alliances in the FCT political landscape, where chairmanship and councillorship seats across AMAC, Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali are at stake.
Meanwhile, former APC chairmanship candidate in Bwari Area Council, Haruna Audi, drew attention after publicly displaying his ballot paper at Polling Unit 001, Ushafa Primary School.
Kano By-Election Controversy
Outside the FCT, controversy erupted in Kano State as three major opposition parties — the PDP, NNPP and ADC — were absent from the ballot paper for the state by-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The omission sparked concerns among voters and observers, given the parties’ established presence in Kano politics. Analysts say the development could influence voter sentiment and turnout.
The Kano by-election is also being closely watched as a measure of Governor Abba Yusuf’s political standing following his defection from the NNPP to the APC.
Stakes and Numbers
INEC confirmed that 1,680,315 registered voters across 62 wards and 2,822 polling units are eligible to participate in the FCT elections. An Election Monitoring Centre has been established to coordinate nationwide developments and respond swiftly to emerging challenges.
Alongside the FCT elections, legislative by-elections are being held in Rivers State for Ahoada II and Khana II constituencies.
Political analysts describe the day’s polls as a “dress rehearsal” for 2027 — testing party mobilization strength, voter enthusiasm, and institutional preparedness.
As voting continues, attention remains fixed on turnout figures and the broader political signals these elections may send across Nigeria’s evolving political terrain.
