More than 1.5 million people are eligible to cast their ballots this Saturday as Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) heads to the polls for its Area Council elections. Data released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows a surge in voter readiness, with a 94.4% collection rate for Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)—the mandatory identification required to vote in the West African nation. Out of the 1,680,315 registered voters in the capital and its surrounding councils, 1,587,025 have picked up their cards, leaving just over 93,000 cards uncollected.
High Engagement Across the Capital
The figures suggest a high level of civic engagement in the FCT, a region that serves as the administrative heart of Africa’s most populous country. In some registration areas, collection rates reportedly climbed as high as 99%.T
he breakdown across the six Area Councils shows consistent interest:
Kuje: Recorded the highest engagement with a 97.2% collection rate.
Abaji: Followed closely at 95%.
Municipal Area Council (AMAC): The largest voting bloc, with nearly 800,000 cards collected.
A Test for Logistics
In a statement, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Kudu Haruna praised the “responsiveness and cooperation” of the residents. He reiterated the commission’s “no PVC, no voting” policy, a measure designed to curb electoral fraud.”The Commission has put all necessary arrangements in place to ensure a free, fair and credible election,” Haruna said.
Saturday’s vote is seen as a localized but significant test of Nigeria’s electoral infrastructure. While the FCT elections do not carry the same weight as the national presidential polls, they are a vital barometer of the public mood and the efficiency of the electronic accreditation systems used by the commission.
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