The Federal Capital Territory area council elections recorded a voter turnout of about 14 percent, marking an increase from the 9.4 percent participation rate seen in the previous polls.
The elections, which covered chairmanship and councillorship positions across the six area councils in the FCT, showed a modest improvement in voter engagement compared to the last exercise.
A total of 1.68 million voters were registered for the latest elections, up from 1.58 million in the previous cycle, reflecting an increase of roughly 100,000 voters. Out of this number, 239,210 voters cast their ballots, resulting in a turnout of approximately 14.2 percent.
By comparison, the earlier elections recorded 148,685 voters out of 1.58 million registered voters, representing a 9.4 percent turnout. This means over 90,000 more voters participated in the recent polls, amounting to a 61 percent rise in actual voter participation.
Observers and civil society groups praised the peaceful conduct of the elections but raised concerns about the still-low level of voter engagement. Despite the improvement, more than 85 percent of registered voters did not participate, highlighting ongoing voter apathy.
While the figures point to progress compared to previous FCT area council elections, they also underscore broader concerns about declining voter participation in Nigeria’s electoral process.
