A civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, has released its preliminary report on the 2026 Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Area Council elections, revealing incidents of vote buying and logistical lapses in parts of the territory.

The elections, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were held across the six area councils of the FCT for the positions of chairmen and 62 councillorship seats.

Yiaga Africa disclosed that it deployed trained and accredited roving observers across the 62 wards of the FCT to monitor critical stages of the process, including opening procedures, accreditation, voting and counting.

According to the group, the exercise was largely peaceful, as voters who turned out were able to cast their ballots without widespread disruption. However, it noted that voter turnout was generally low in most polling units observed.

The organisation pointed to logistical challenges that delayed the commencement of voting in several locations, particularly within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), where late deployment of personnel and materials led to delayed openings.

In Wuse and Gwarinpa wards of AMAC, observers reported that as of 9:00 a.m., set-up activities were still ongoing in many polling units, with accreditation and voting commencing around 10:00 a.m.

Yiaga Africa further noted that while essential materials such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, and voter registers were deployed to most polling units, there were instances of shortages. In Polling Unit 004, Wuse Ward, Zone 2 Primary School, the voter register was reportedly unavailable at the start of the exercise and was only produced after complaints from observers and voters.

Similarly, voting cubicles were said to be absent in some polling units in Abaji Area Council, while an ink pad required for voting was missing in one location.

The group also raised concerns over the relocation of certain polling units without adequate prior notification to voters. Although INEC reportedly sent SMS notifications, many were delivered on election day, with some received hours after voting had begun. This, Yiaga Africa said, created confusion and congestion at several polling units, with some voters spending over an hour trying to identify their correct voting locations.

It added that disparities in voter distribution within the same polling areas raised questions about the coherence of INEC’s polling unit expansion and voter redistribution framework.

Observers also reported cases where some polling units closed before the official 2:30 p.m. closing time, contrary to guidelines stipulating that voting should continue until 2:30 p.m. or until the last voter on the queue has voted.

On security, Yiaga Africa noted heavy deployment of personnel in certain areas, which in some instances restricted the movement of accredited observers and created access challenges for voters.

The organisation further documented incidents of vote buying at some polling units, describing the development as a persistent threat to the integrity of the electoral process. It stated that despite prior assurances by INEC directing security agencies to arrest perpetrators, the practice was reported in several locations.

Yiaga Africa said it would issue a comprehensive report after the conclusion of the electoral process.