New Telegraph-Admin 
The recently held local council election across the six Abuja Municipal Area Councils (AMAC) – Kuje, Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada and Kwali to elect chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors – served as a litmus test for the newly appointed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan.
Though it was a generally peaceful election with low voter turnout and pockets of malpractices; with allegations of intimidation and manipulation surfacing in some quarters, it should provide the needed lessons to learn from, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
From the results as announced, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won five councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched Gwagwalada council. Apart from voter apathy the Electoral Act 2026 has sparked transparency concerns as the PDP and analysts warn that the law may imperil next year’s general elections.
The Electoral Act 2026, signed into law on Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, retained manual collation as the primary basis for result compilation under Section 60(3), providing that Form EC8 containing manually entered vote tallies remains the foundational document for collation. As expected, the ruling APC has hailed results as endorsement of Tinubu’s reforms and INEC defended its conduct, citing orderly accreditation, and collation. But Election Observers have their independent views which should be taken with all the seriousness they deserve.
For instance, in a joint statement signed by Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CSLAC) and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) raised concerns over voter apathy, logistical shortcomings and alleged political interference in elections conducted in the FCT, the groups said although the elections were largely peaceful in many polling units, significant challenges were recorded.
They warned that Nigerians were gradually losing trust in the electoral process, stating that when citizens no longer turn out to vote, “it is no longer an election but a selection,” a trend they described as dangerous for democratic governance. Furthermore, the groups noted that the voter turnout was generally low, with some polling units recording as few as 10 voters throughout the day. They also highlighted accessibility gaps for persons with disabilities.
One notable observation about the polls was that across the councils, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned effectively in most polling units. This is a positive development
In fact, monitoring teams from TAF Africa reported that polling units in rural councils such as Kwali and Abaji were inaccessible to wheelchair users. Observers also said magnifying glasses and Braille were absent in more than 60 per cent of polling units monitored.
Another issue of growing concern as highlighted by both CISLAC and TMG was that of logistical delays, particularly within the Abuja Municipal Area Council, where late deployment of materials resulted in delayed opening of several polling units. They also raised concerns about alleged voter suppression targeting women in high-density areas, claiming that economic intimidation was used in some communities to discourage women from joining queues.
The groups therefore urged INEC to treat the shortcomings observed as an early warning ahead of future general elections and to strengthen systems for early deployment of materials and prompt commencement of voting. One notable observation about the polls was that across the councils, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned effectively in most polling units. This is a positive development.
Despite the smooth conduct reported by officials, observers maintained that persistent voter apathy remains a concern as political actors turn their attention to preparations for 2027. This is of great significance because trust remains the key element in every relationship, more so when it has to do with the conduct of elections that are free, fair, credible and peaceful.
While the ruling party hailed the outcome as an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, opposition parties, civil society groups and religious leaders warned that concerns over transparency and declining voter participation could deepen public distrust in the electoral process. But when those who are declared as winners by the electoral umpire emerge through odious and self-serving manipulations their allegiance swings in favour of the self, rather than the state.
This of course, leads to abysmally poor leadership with the masses of people left to stew in pervasive poverty, misery, and hopelessness as millions have fallen voiceless victims to over the decades. The way out of the weedy wood of electoral fraud is for INEC to perform its duties devoid of pressure from any political group.
Both the unfettered transmissions of election results and voter education have become a necessity to rebuild the people’s trust in the electoral process and reduce the currently disturbing level of voter apathy. Besides, all those found to have contravened related laws on election should be brought to speedy justice, regardless of his political status. Above all, the choices of the people must count because that will strengthen the chords of democracy.
