“Too Close to Call? Early Signals from Abuja’s Area Council Elections”
ABUJA — Voting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections concluded on Saturday afternoon, but the race remains highly unpredictable as results begin to come in and collation gets underway.
With chairmanship and councillorship seats at stake across the six area councils — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali — the capital territory has witnessed mixed early outcomes that defy easy conclusions, keeping political watchers and voters on edge.
Early Results Trickling In
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun uploading results from polling units to its Results Viewing Portal (IReV), though only a portion of figures are visible so far. Reports show that in AMAC alone, more than half of the unit results had been transmitted to the portal by early evening.
Notably, figures from some units reveal signs of competitive contests:
At Polling Unit 076, Sani Abacha Estate, Wuse Zone 4 (AMAC), the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was recorded as defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 7 votes to 2, a result that grabbed attention due to its symbolic impact in a key area.
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In other pockets of the territory, APC appears to be leading, particularly in places like Nyanya, although turnout has been thin in parts of the capital.
These pockets of results — while too small to determine final outcomes — illustrate the fluidity of the race and suggest that neither of the major parties can yet claim dominance.
Low Voter Turnout, Peaceful Conduct
While officials and observers commended the peaceful conduct of the elections, voter turnout was noticeably low in some areas, especially within city centres. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike described the exercise as orderly, even as he acknowledged subdued participation in several segments.
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Political Noise and Contestation
Alongside counting, political tensions have emerged:
The ADC has accused the FCT Minister of “direct interference” by visiting polling units during voting — a claim the party says undermines the neutrality of the process.
Supporters and agents of various parties remain anxious as results continue to upload, and the traditional collation process gets fully underway.
What Happens Next
INEC officials say results for both chairmanship and councillorship positions will be fully uploaded and collated before formal declarations are made.
With only a fraction of unit results available so far, political analysts warn that the final picture remains too close to call.
As Abuja waits for more results, the “Too Close to Call” scenario is shaping up not just as a headline — but as a real possibility in the FCT’s most closely watched electoral contest this year.
Headlineswave.ng will continue to provide verified updates as results are officially announced.
