Yiaga Africa has released its preliminary report on the FCT Area Council elections, raising concerns about the integrity of the ward collation process scheduled to commence shortly.
The group cited several lapses, including the late arrival of election materials in some polling units and inadequate notification to voters whose polling units were changed due to overcrowding. According to Yiaga Africa, many affected voters received little or no prior notice of their reassigned voting locations.
The organisation also reported significant voter apathy across most of the areas it monitored, as well as the non-availability of critical voting materials in some polling stations. It further observed that the deployment of security personnel in certain locations restricted the movement of election observers.
Although describing its findings as preliminary, Yiaga Africa urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve public engagement and provide timely, adequate information to voters. It also called for reforms in the commission’s logistics framework, which it described as flawed.
Similarly, another coalition of civil society organisations, Ballot Eye, expressed concern over the last-minute relocation of polling units, saying the development led to the disenfranchisement of several voters. The group called on INEC to explain the changes and immediately deploy voter-support mechanisms to help citizens locate their reassigned polling units.
Ballot Eye also highlighted what it described as a high level of voter apathy. In one polling unit in Gwarinpa with about 750 registered voters, only 19 people were observed casting ballots.
The coalition further reported delays in the arrival of materials at several locations, including Kayada in Kuje, Junior Secondary School Durumi 1, Government Secondary School Gwarinpa, Rugan Fulani in Bwari, and Abaji East Primary School.
