TENSION GRIPS GWARINMPA POLLING UNIT AS VOTING DELAYS MAR FCT COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Voters at Polling Unit 141, LEA Primary School, Karamajiji, Gwarinmpa (Registration Area 05) faced a tense start to the FCT Area Council elections on Saturday, as suspected political thugs were seen loitering around the polling site, delaying the commencement of voting.Election officials reported that materials arrived late, around 9:03 a.m., causing accreditation to begin more than an hour behind schedule. Verification eventually started at 10:10 a.m., leaving early-arriving residents waiting anxiously and creating an atmosphere of unease.Observers and voters expressed concern over unfamiliar individuals in the vicinity and the presence of party agents near the polling unit. Despite security personnel being deployed, tensions persisted, and some voters feared that disruptions could affect the voting process. Accreditation and voting proceeded under heightened security measures.POLITICAL CONTEXT AND REACTIONSIn a related development, Senator Ireti Kingibe criticized the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for imposing a curfew and declaring Friday a work-free day in preparation for the elections. The movement restriction, from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday, was described by Kingibe as a violation of residents’ constitutional rights and an unnecessary interference in the democratic process.Residents and political analysts alike are closely monitoring the elections, emphasizing the need for orderly conduct and the protection of voters’ rights amid growing tension at key polling units.