FCT councils’ polls peaceful as voting progresses – Situation Room 

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room says the ongoing Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils’ elections have recorded peaceful voting.

The position is contained in a  statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by Mma Odi, Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.

Odi said preliminary reports were gathered by deployed observers and the Situation Room Election reporting App from Citizens deployed to report their experiences of the election

Odi said the group also received reports from partner organisations – Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), CLEEN Foundation and Inclusive Friends Association.

The group noted that the elections  began with a peaceful atmosphere that preceded election day and has continued until the time of the report

“Reports from across the FCT from our networks of observers and partners showed a relative late opening of polls with an average time of 9:15a.m in many of the polling units observed.

“In places like Kwali Area Council, INEC personnel and material arrived on time and voting began early.

“While we acknowledge timely opening of polls in a very few voting locations, we note that there was late opening of polls, in many voting locations owing to late arrival of INEC staff and materials.

“Residents were seen going about their normal businesses during early hours of voting mostly in AMAC,” the group said in the statement.

According to the group, turnout began slowly with people taking their time to come out

“Queues are now being seen in many polling units in Kuje, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Abaji Area Councils.

“Voters were also seen trying to locate their polling units which had been moved to nearby polling units.

“Although, some voters acknowledged receiving text messages from INEC on the eve of the election, they were unable to verify the locations due to the short notice given,” the group said

The group said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS),  was reported to have performed efficiently with a one-minute average turnaround time for accreditation of a voter in majority of the polling units.

It noted, however, that there were two reports of malfunctioning of the BVAS in Gwako town/Primary School II & IV Gwako, Gwagwalada and PU143 Open Space, opposite Okada Park by Gate post Navy Town, City Centre, Abuja.

On Election Security, Situation Room observers reported a significant presence of security personnel at PUs, ranging from the Nigeria Police, Civil Defence, Immigration Service and  Fire Service among others.

The Situation Room also observed that the security personnel displayed a high level of professionalism and were very courteous.

The group, however, gave a few reports of intimidation and harassment in Grade 1 Area Court Rubochi, Kuje, Naharati Sabo School II, Rimba/Ebagi and PU3 UNG, Liman/UNGUWAR LIMAN 1, Abaji Central and Kpasele.

Situation Room also reported intimidation in PU JSS Giri II, Gwako, Gwagwalada where a voter came to the polling unit with a cutlass and the youths charged at him.

It noted that the situation was swiftly handled by the security agents who took the culprit away.

The group also noted  there was a noticeable presence of party agents in many of the polling units visited.

It added that, although, not all the political parties were represented at the same time, but their agents were visible in polling units.

“In PU026, Kayada Primary School, Kuje a party agent was seen wearing a party agent tag and also wearing an INEC Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) jacket.

The Situation Room reported that Vote buying was observed in many polling units visited.

According to the report,  vote buying was openly done in some polling units such as PU008, 056, 057 and 058 Gidan Mangoro Ward of AMAC where votes traded with as much as  N10,000 each.

“In some other places, votes buying was discreet but observed,” the group reported

On Person with Disability, the group noted that most polling units visited did not have Assistive Materials.

“The Form EC30E (PWD) for the deaf was visible in most polling units observed, but the braille ballot guide and magnifying glasses were not deployed.

“In Karimajiji, a disability colony, none of the assistive materials as mentioned above including the Form EC30E was deployed.

“Some of the voters with disability seen in PU052, Mombolo Street, Wuse also did not have access to assistive materials,” the group stated.

Situation Room, however, commended the INEC FCT Help Desk for prompt response to issues brought to its attention.

The group called on all stakeholders to maintain the calm and the security agents to continue to maintain professionalism as the exercise proceeded to the close of polls and collation