#FCTDecides2026: AMAC polls marred by late start, low turnout, BVAS glitches

Voting in several polling units across the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) commenced behind schedule on Saturday, with low voter turnout and logistical challenges recorded in parts of the council.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines, voting was scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. and close at 2:30 p.m., with provisions for voters already in the queue within the stipulated time to cast their ballots.

However, PREMIUM TIMES observed that voting started late in many polling units across the City Centre, Areas 1 and 2, as well as Wuse and Garki.

Logistics delays, low turnout

At Polling Unit 067 in Area 2, City Centre, voting had yet to commence as of 9:23 a.m. The Presiding Officer, Afuye Olamilekan, said officials arrived at 8:30 a.m. but could not begin accreditation and voting because a canopy for the voting booth had not been provided.

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“We had to wait for the canopy to arrive before setting up,” he said.

The polling unit has 13 registered voters, and no voter was present at the time of filing this report.

Similarly, at Polling Unit 035 on Enugu/Nsukka Street in Garki, voting began at about 10:14 a.m. Out of 96 registered voters, only 20 had voted as of the time of observation.

Officials also reported that the fingerprint component of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) malfunctioned intermittently, forcing them to rely on facial recognition for accreditation.

At Wuse Zone 4, Block 53, Suez Close — where the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Paul Ogidi, cast his vote — turnout was also low. The Presiding Officer, Nonye Obianyor, said fewer than 30 voters had been accredited out of 454 registered voters.

“People did not come out. I think it is because of the movement restrictions,” she said.

Officials in other polling units across AMAC also reported similar BVAS glitches, particularly with fingerprint verification.

Aged voters express confidence

Despite the slow start and low turnout, some elderly voters expressed optimism about the electoral process.

At Polling Unit 006 along the Area 2 National Library axis, Bankole Aramide, 68, and Justina Nwosu, 60, waited quietly under a makeshift canopy after being accredited.

READ ALSO: #FCTDecides2026: INEC records hitch-free accreditation, early voting in three area councils

“We came out to vote because we want things to be better,” Mrs Nwosu said.

Mrs Aramide, a retiree, said she was determined to vote for what she described as the “right candidate,” expressing hope that the exercise would strengthen grassroots leadership.

For the pair, participation in the council election was more than a civic obligation: it was a reaffirmation of their belief that their votes still matter.