Rules Out Inconclusive Poll In Saturday’s FCT Elections

*As heavy downpour, apathy, fuel scarcity mar polls
* PDP, APC in supremacy battle

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo, James Emejo,  Damilola Oyedele, Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

Elections in the six Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) took place on Saturday amidst poor turn-out of the electorate in almost all parts of the capital city of Abuja.

However, voter apathy was evident in almost all the areas visited by THISDAY.
While monitoring the election in the FCT on Saturday, it was observed that most voters stayed away from the polling units with only a few number coming in trickles to perform their civic duty.

The reason for the low turn out of eligible voters recorded in almost all the polling units varied from poor sensitization, lack of interest in the governance at the third tier , the biting fuel scarcity as well as disenchantment by the populace over the state of affairs of the country. The situation was further compounded by a heavy down pour which started in the afternoon thereby preventing the voters who would have trekked to their polling units from exercising their franchise.

At the same time, Fuel crisis continued to take its toll on the social lives and activities in the federal capital city, with many residents defying the order restricting movement to besiege petrol stations in search of fuel to buy. Although, the petrol stations did not open for business until the end of voting by 4 pm, but motorists considered it more important to queue at the stations waiting for the time than to go and cast their votes.

But the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the FCT, Prof. Jacob Jatau, has reassured that from the way things transpired so far, there may not be issue of inconclusiveness elections as was witnessed in elections in other states like Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers state.

Speaking to  journalists in an interview in Abuja shortly after voting got underway, Jatau said that the election has been very peaceful and violence-free.