The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has assured that the will of residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will be clearly reflected in today’s Area Council elections.
Speaking while overseeing the exercise at polling units in Garki, Wuse, and other parts of Abuja’s city centre, Amupitan said all Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines deployed for the polls were operating optimally.
He described the election as largely peaceful, noting that while voter turnout was encouraging in several areas, participation was relatively low in some polling units.
The INEC chairman praised voters for maintaining orderly conduct, describing it as evidence of Nigeria’s growing democratic culture.
Amupitan also disclosed that locations affected by late arrival of election materials had been identified, adding that officials at the FCT Election Monitoring Centre were actively monitoring the situation and taking swift steps to resolve any challenges.
According to him, the commission was receiving positive reports from polling units across the six Area Councils.
He also praised the professionalism of security agencies on duty, noting that only individuals without proper accreditation or those who failed to present their tags encountered issues.
“The atmosphere is very calm in all the polling units,” he said.
The INEC Chairman assured that the commission would build on the experience gained from the FCT Area Council Election to strengthen future electoral exercises.
“If you’d like a more concise version or a broadcast-style script, I can format it for you,” the INEC boss said.