VOTING is progressing smoothly across several polling units in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with residents turning out early to participate in the ongoing area council chairmanship and councillorship elections.
At Kutunku Primary School, one of the major voting centres in the area council, a large number of voters were observed forming orderly queues as accreditation and voting commenced under the supervision of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Electoral officials arrived early at the polling unit, while security personnel maintained a calm atmosphere, allowing voters to exercise their civic rights without disruption.
Similarly, Phase 1/Gado Nasko Primary School polling unit recorded impressive voter participation, with steady turnout throughout the morning hours. Many voters expressed satisfaction with INEC preparation for the exercise, noting that accreditation using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) went smoothly.
Residents described the process as peaceful, with party agents and observers present while voters patiently waited for their turn.
However, The ICIR observed that some polling units within the council experienced relatively low voter presence compared to others, as only a few voters were seen at the location during early voting hours.
The poll is being conducted simultaneously in 2,822 polling units where voters are to elect chairmen and councillors in the six area councils of the FCT, with about 1.6 million registered voters expected to participate in the exercise.
INEC had earlier confirmed that all sensitive materials, including ballot papers and BVAS machines, were deployed under tight security ahead of the polls to ensure transparency and credibility.
Security presence also remained visible across the council following the restriction of movement imposed by the FCT Police Command from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to guarantee peaceful conduct of the elections.
As voting continues, observers say the turnout recorded in parts of Gwagwalada, particularly at Kutunku and Gado Nasko polling centres, signals growing voter interest compared to previous council elections historically marked by lower participation.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.