Voters Chase APC FCT Chair from Gwagwalada Polling Centre

Tension briefly disrupted voting on Saturday at Pilot Science Primary School in Gwagwalada, one of the polling and collation centres for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, after voters forced out the FCT chair of the All Progressives Congress (APC), AbdulMalik Usman.

Witnesses said Mr Usman was confronted by voters shortly after arriving at the centre. Some accused him of attempting to interfere with the process and demanded that he leave. It was the second time he had been turned away from the location, according to bystanders.

Videos from the scene showed voters pouring sand on him as security operatives moved in. Police officers escorted Mr Usman to his vehicle amid jeers from the crowd. As the vehicle departed, stones were thrown in its direction, prompting several people nearby to seek cover.

An eyewitness, Danladi Naroka, said suspicions about possible interference in the voting process triggered the reaction from voters.

Calm returned to the centre soon after his departure, and electoral officials proceeded with the counting of votes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is conducting elections in 2,822 polling units across 62 wards in the six area councils of the FCT — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

Only two incumbents are seeking re-election across the six councils, both from the APC, in AMAC and Abaji.