By George Mgbeleke,Abuja

Voters at a polling unit in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Saturday chased away the chairperson of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), AbdulMalik Usman, during the ongoing Area Council elections

The incident occurred at Pilot Science Primary School, Gwagwalada, which serves as a polling and collation centre for the elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Eyewitnesses said angry voters confronted Mr Usman over suspicions that he intended to interfere with the voting process. Bystanders claimed it was the second time he had been forced to leave the centre.

Police officers swiftly escorted the APC official to his vehicle as some voters allegedly poured sand on him and pelted his car with stones while he was driven away.

“People suspected he came to manipulate the voting process, and that was why he was chased out,” an eyewitness, Danladi Naroka, said.

Calm was later restored at the centre, and vote counting commenced shortly after.

Meanwhile,AMAC APC Chairman Christopher Zakka Maikalangu is optimistic about winning the FCT Area Council election, saying the voting process is smooth and voter turnout in his constituency is satisfactory.

Speaking to reporters after voting in Garki, Maikalangu commended the electoral process, noting some areas faced minor logistical issues.

“First of all, I’m impressed with the turnout today. You can see it yourself. My people are out here to vote. I’m satisfied with the process. In less than three minutes, I cast my vote. I think everything is okay,” Maikalangu said.

The APC candidate emphasised the grassroots nature of the local government election, noting the enthusiasm of voters in remote areas.

“Let me tell you, this is a local government election and local government election is meant for local people. And that’s why we come to remote areas.

“You will see the turnout is different from that of the city. From Garki down to Nyanya. You can see it yourself. My people are out to vote. So everything is okay. And the process is just smooth.”

Maikalangu noted that logistics needed improvement, despite being generally satisfied.

“I think the only improvement I would advise is the logistic because some areas are yet to get their materials. But in terms of voting process, everything is smooth,” he said.

Maikalangu took the chance to highlight his plans for youth empowerment if re-elected.

“This is my home. This is my polling unit. My plan for the youth in this year is empowerment. My people know me. I’ve been giving them what they want. So by the grace of God, if I’m back to office, I’ll give them a little bit of democracy.”

In a another development, there was chaos at FCT Polling Unit as INEC Officials arrived with Wrong BVAS Machine, Voters Stranded

The affected polling unit, identified as PU Code: 37/05/03/003, had yet to begin accreditation as of 09:17am, according to information obtained by SaharaReporters.

Voters at the Bako Primary School polling unit, Kwali, Abuja, were left stranded on Saturday morning after officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly arrived with the wrong Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), delaying the commencement of voting.

The affected polling unit, identified as PU Code: 37/05/03/003, had yet to begin accreditation as of 09:17am, according to information obtained by SaharaReporters.

It is located in Pai Ward, Kwali area of the FCT, Abuja.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters from the polling unit showed scores of voters waiting anxiously while electoral officials struggled to resolve the situation.

Some voters were seen expressing frustration over the delay, lamenting the slow start to the electoral process.

Sources at the polling unit said INEC officials acknowledged arriving with an incorrect BVAS machine, forcing voters to wait for the appropriate device before accreditation and voting could commence.

“INEC came with the wrong BVAS. Voters are waiting for the right machine,” a source at the scene told SaharaReporters.

The footage seen by SaharaReporters captured groups of voters gathered within the school premises, many visibly frustrated as uncertainty surrounded when the proper accreditation device would arrive.

The BVAS machine is a critical component of Nigeria’s electoral process, used to verify voters’ identities through biometric authentication before they are allowed to cast their ballots.

Any delay in its deployment often disrupts voting timelines and raises concerns about voter disenfranchisement.

SaharaReporters had also reported how confusion and disorganisation marked parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election as several voters were left stranded while attempting to locate their designated polling units on election day.

Findings by journalists on ground revealed that many residents moved from one location to another in search of voting centres, complaining about poor communication and inadequate voter information.

One of the affected voters, identified simply as Precious, said she had been unable to find her polling unit despite repeated efforts.

When asked her name during the interview, she replied, “My name is Precious.”

Responding to a question on whether she had arrived at her polling unit, she said, “No, this is not my polling unit.”

She explained further that she was searching for a different location but had encountered difficulty navigating the area.

“It’s Regina Health Centre. So, I’m still finding it difficult to locate it,” she said.

Asked whether election officials or authorities had communicated the correct polling information to her beforehand, Precious blamed unfamiliarity with the environment for her ordeal.

“It wasn’t because I’m not familiar. I don’t live around this side, so it’s kind of very difficult,” she added.

According to our reporter, voters were still trying to figure out their polling units, with some allegedly misinformed and moving between centres to confirm whether they were at the correct locations.

On the restriction of movement in FCT:

The Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) roads were largely empty on Saturday morning as voting commenced for the area council elections at 8:30am, with early delays reported at various polling units and voters displaying cautious optimism.

In Kubwa-Gwarinpa, a typically busy commercial hub, only essential vehicles were on the roads due to government-imposed movement restrictions until 6pm, leaving some residents stranded and unable to commute to work.

At LEA Primary School, Bmuko, Dutse, in Bwari Area Council, there were no Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials present at 7:45am, with the school field being used for a football match.

In contrast, security agencies had already blocked off entry and exit points in Gwarinpa by 7:45am, creating a security cordon.

At Polling Unit 118 in Garki, INEC officials were setting up materials at 8:16am, while at nearby Polling Unit 117, electoral officers were still arranging equipment at 8:20am with no voters present.

Similar delays were observed at Polling Units 015 and 016 in Area 8, Garki, where officials were organizing materials at 8:25am and 8:35am, respectively, and voters were verifying their details.

Dr. Anuma Ogbonnaya Nlia, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police Affairs, assessed proceedings at Polling Unit 015 in Area 8, Garki, and expressed satisfaction with security personnel’s conduct.

Speaking with some Journalists, he said:
“We are here to also monitor the election, especially the conduct of police officers and other security agencies around the polling unit.

“We want to make sure that security is provided around here, that people don’t do things that are contrary to the Electoral Act. That’s why we’re here,” he said.

The permanent secretary, having visited multiple polling areas, gave an optimistic evaluation of the security situation.

“For the areas that we’ve gone to, all the security personnel are on duty. They are on duty monitoring what is happening. No chaos. Everywhere is calm. So we’re happy with what is going on.

“Even though there are no officials, some of them have not come to the polling units to set up for their materials, the police officers and other security agencies are doing well and they are monitoring what is happening

“FCT residents should be reassured. No chaos. Everywhere is calm. Everywhere is peaceful. The police officers are on top of their game and other security agencies,” he said.

As of reporting time, accreditation and voting hadn’t started at visited polling units, despite the 8:30am official start. Electoral officials were awaited, with residents hoping for a smooth process.

In another development,INEC adhoc staff in Bwari Area Council protested at the start of the FCT Area Council Election, refusing to work due to unpaid feeding allowances.

The staff, who had spent the night at the Bwari Registration Area Council, demanded payment for Friday night and Saturday morning before deploying.

Our Correspondent reported that ,the staff were adamant about receiving their allowances, resisting efforts to mobilize them without payment. INEC eventually paid each staff member #6,000 to settle the protest and facilitate the election process.

The payment led to delays in distributing election materials to polling units across Bwari Area Council, resulting in a late start to the voting process.

Recall that INEC conducted the FCT Area Council elections in 2,822 polling units across 62 wards in the six area councils — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali. Two incumbent chairpersons, both from the APC in Abaji and Abuja Municipal Area Council, were seeking re-election.
APC’s Maikalangu sees smooth sailing in FCT Area Council poll