Nigeria Begins Area Council Elections in Abuja

Voting has commenced in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the election of chairmen and councillors who will oversee the administration of the six Area Councils.

Residents began arriving at polling units as early as 8:30 a.m. GMT on Saturday to cast their ballots as voting is expected to end at 2:30pm GMT.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is conducting the elections across 2,822 polling units in 62 wards spread throughout the six Area Councils.

Area Councils represent the closest tier of elected governance to residents in the FCT, delivering essential services including water supply, sanitation, local road maintenance, primary education and healthcare.

Unlike in Nigeria’s 36 states, where such polls are known as local government elections, they are officially referred to as Area Council elections in the FCT.

The Federal Capital Territory is administered by a Minister appointed by the President, supported by a Minister of State and a Permanent Secretary. The Minister serves as the Chief Executive of the FCT Administration, while the Permanent Secretary functions as the Accounting Officer and Head of the Civil Service. The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) oversees physical infrastructure development within the territory.

Authorities have pledged to ensure the peaceful conduct of the elections, with security personnel deployed to strategic locations across the Area Councils.