FCT polls: Emefiele decries low voter turnout
Low Voter Turnout Observed in Recent FCT Area Council Elections
David Emefiele, Programs Officer at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has expressed concern over the low voter turnout in the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
In an interview aired on Arise Television, Emefiele noted a significant gap between the number of accredited voters, registered voters, and those who actually participated in the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the elections on February 21, 2026. On Sunday, the commission announced that candidates from the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious in the AMAC, Bwari, Kwali, and Abaji Area Councils. Meanwhile, the candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in the Gwagwalada Area Council, with results for Kuje still pending.
Emefiele highlighted additional challenges that may have affected voter turnout. “There was a considerable disparity between accredited, registered, and actual voters,” he said. He also pointed to confusion regarding polling units, which experienced changes just hours before the elections. This lack of communication from INEC, coupled with a curfew imposed in the FCT, may have further hindered participation.
