AREA COUNCIL POLLS: FCT MINISTER LAUDS PEACEFUL CONDUCT

…EXPRESSES SATISFACTION WITH THE VOTERS’ TURNOUT AT THE SATELLITE TOWNS

By: Rabi Musa-Umar  

The FCT Minister, Barr Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has commended the peaceful conduct of the Area Council elections that took place across the six councils for Chairmen and Councilors.

The Minister who came out to personally monitor the election on Saturday, February 21, 2026, also expressed satisfaction with the general turn out of residents for the Area Councils elections. He said although voters’ turnout was low in the city centre, the large number of residents in the satellite towns who came out to vote for candidates of their choice was very impressive.

In his words: “We thank God that everywhere is peaceful. The problem we have is low voter turnout, particularly in the cities, and that has always been the case. But going round some of the satellite towns, you can see that it’s quite impressive.

“Coming to this polling unit (Ketti Primary school) you can see the massive turn out here, as with other polling units in other satellite towns we went. It’s unfortunate that in the city, there is very low turnout. It’s always the case.

“What’s important is that the election is peaceful, no violence, no snatching of ballot papers and ballot boxes”.

While commending the security agencies in the FCT for a job well done, the Minister also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the success recorded so far in the Area Councils elections.

Speaking on the deployment of the BVAS, Barr. Wike said: First of all, they just started counting votes. It is only when the votes are counted that we talk about it (the deployment of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS) but from what is going on here, they are saying everything is moving on well in terms of using the BVAS. So, we commend INEC for what we have seen so far”.

Reacting to criticism by the Senator Representing the FCT, Senator Ireti Kingibe, on the alleged ban on movement during election, the Minister stressed that he never imposed any ban but rather got approval from the President for the restriction of movement.

He said, “I never imposed curfew. If you heard my statement, I said, with the approval of Mr. President. With the approval of Mr. President, I said from 8pm to 6pm today, there will be restriction of movement. And this is not the first time movement is restricted during election”. He called the Senator to take time to read and understand statements before criticizing.

The Minister also called on residents to be law abiding as they see the election process to its conclusion, urging them not to give room for disgruntled persons to derail the process.

Areas visited by the Minister include polling units in Garki, Garki village, Karu, Karshi, Wasa Kabusa Sheritti, and Ketti, among others.