FCT Polls: Voter Apathy Linked To Distrust In Political Class — Observers

Domestic election observer groups accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have blamed the low turnout recorded in the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, last Saturday, on growing distrust in Nigeria’s political class.

The observers said voters stayed away from the polls because they no longer have confidence in political actors and their style of governance.

In a joint statement signed by the group leader, Rev Harvest Okiroro Ighewho, and Secretary, Rev Dr Justin C. Ogwuegbe, and made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday, the group described the turnout as poor across polling units monitored.

“The entire exercise recorded poor voter turnout. The voters’ apathy is largely due to the lack of voters’ trust in our political class,” the statement read.

The group urged politicians to rebuild confidence by embracing people-oriented governance and representing their constituents diligently.

The observers, who monitored the exercise across the 10 wards in Bwari Area Council, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for what they described as a largely peaceful and well-coordinated poll.

They said the deployment of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials was timely, enabling accreditation and voting to commence at 8.30am as scheduled in most polling units.

“By 2.30pm in most of the polling units, counting of votes was concluded without hitches,” the group stated.

The observers also praised the conduct of INEC officials and ad hoc staff, particularly members of the National Youth Service Corps engaged for the exercise, describing their performance as professional and seamless.

On security, the group lauded the synergy among the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other agencies, noting that their collaboration ensured a peaceful atmosphere.

However, they pointed to scanty security presence along the Dutse–Bwari Road between midnight and 5am on the night of result collation.

The observers further commended political parties and their candidates for conducting coordinated campaigns and sensitisation, while urging them to sustain issue-based politics.

According to the group, the peaceful conduct of the exercise signals that Nigeria’s democracy is gradually maturing — but warned that without restoring public trust, voter apathy may persist.

End.