Mixed Turnout And Indifference As FCT Area Council Polls Open

As the electorate across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) files out to vote for their representatives today, Saturday, February 21, 2026, most residents in the city centre remain indifferent to the exercise. Despite a special broadcast by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike on Thursday announcing a 22-hour movement restriction and declaring Friday a work-free day, observation shows unrestricted movement of vehicles and commuters within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), particularly along the Airport Road to Gwagwalada.

The 22-hour restriction, intended to run from 8 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. today, is seeing low compliance in the urban core, where some residents claim they are entirely unaware that elections are taking place.

The polls are being conducted across the six area councils: Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. However, the situation is markedly different in Kwali and Abaji, where compliance with the Minister’s directive is high, stores remain locked, and voters are gathered at various polling units.

At the Pilot Science Nursery and Primary School in Kwali Area Council, which hosts a cluster of polling units, INEC officials arrived with election materials as early as 7:00 a.m.

Mrs. Peace Esan, an official at the centre, noted that the team slept at the location under security watch to ensure they were ready for the 8:30 a.m. accreditation start. Voters at these locations are currently on queues, confirming their names on the registers and preparing to cast their votes for their preferred candidates.

In total, the elections are being conducted in 2,822 polling units across 62 wards. While the city centre reflects a sense of detachment, the outskirts show a structured electoral process with active participation.

Security personnel remain on high alert at the various polling clusters to ensure that the process remains peaceful as the 6 p.m. restriction deadline approaches.