By Emeka Nze
Abuja
Independent National Electors Commission (INEC) has stated that out of the 1,020,000 registered voters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), only 20 per cent voted in the Area Council Election.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed this yesterday in an interactive meeting with journalists in Abuja, lamented the low turnout of voters in the Area Council polls.
He said the Commission declared the FCT election inconclusive not only for the difficulty in the terrain of some parts of the territory, disruption in the distribution of materials in 6 wards, violence and court order of rerun in one ward in the Gwagwalada Area Council.
He said: “Nobody wants elections to be inconclusive, but I haven’t seen or read anywhere where INEC was accused of taking a position outside the provisions of Electoral Act. One, for those of you who have been working with us for such a long time you know that elections have become, thank God to modern day technology, even better.
“Nigerians have been clamouring for a time when their votes will actually count. “Today, I am very happy to say that votes truly count.
“Secondly, Nigerians have been praying for a time when we shall have strong political parties, not just one political party that used to win by landslide. Now we have strong political parties and there are others that have also become stronger and now win in areas that they have never won before.
“The elections are also becoming very, very competitive and the margin of victory is reducing.
“ If you look at the outcome of the elections in Kogi in the last election, we have two strong political parties and two strong candidates: a former governor and an incumbent governor.”
