Tension As Suspected Thugs Loiter At Abuja Polling Unit

There was palpable tension at Polling Unit 141, LEA Primary School, Karamajiji, in Registration Area Gwarinmpa (Area Code 05), Gwarinmpa, on Saturday, as suspected political thugs loitered around the premises while electoral officials struggled to commence voting

Election materials reportedly arrived at about 9:03 a.m., but accreditation and voting were delayed for over an hour.

Verification began at approximately 10:10 a.m., leaving many early voters anxiously waiting at the polling centre.

Some residents who spoke in hushed tones said the delay, coupled with unfamiliar faces on the premises, heightened tension among voters who had arrived before the scheduled start time.

Although security operatives were deployed to the area, voters expressed concern about suspected thugs and party agents standing by within and around the polling unit.

The uneasy atmosphere reportedly created apprehension among some electorate members, who feared possible disruption of the exercise.

As of the time of filing this report, accreditation was ongoing under tight security, with voters expressing hope that the process would proceed peacefully despite the tense environment.

In other news, the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has condemned the imposition of a curfew by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Naija News reports that Wike declared Friday a work-free day and announced a restriction of movement from 8 pm on Friday to 6 pm on Saturday in preparation for the FCT Local Council elections scheduled for Saturday.

Reacting to the development via a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Matilda Duncan, Kingibe stated that the Minister’s directive is a direct affront to democratic governance and the constitutional rights of residents.