A calm but subdued atmosphere defined Saturday’s Area Council elections along the Jikwoyi-Kurudu-Gidan Mangoro-Orozo-Karshi axis of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where low voter turnout contrasted sharply with vibrant commercial activity.

Across several polling units visited by The Guardian, accreditation and voting commenced on schedule, with electoral officials and security personnel present.

However, participation remained thin, as many centres recorded only a handful of voters hours after the exercise began.

At Polling Unit 060 in the Gidandaya area, turnout was described as “very, very low,” with only a few voters accredited out of 671 registered voters as of mid-morning.

INEC ad hoc staff joined by Police elements were observed seated and waiting for more residents to arrive.

At the Orozo Collection Centre located within Government Secondary School, Orozo, voting proceeded smoothly at Polling Units 001, 009, 014 and 017.

Security personnel, including soldiers stationed at the gate opposite the Technical College, maintained a visible presence while allowing the process to continue without interference.

In Karshi, Polling Units 027 and 028, located in front of the Satellite Towns Development Department, recorded orderly accreditation and voting.

However, the polling unit directly opposite the General Hospital in Karshi witnessed low turnout, with election officials largely idle due to the sparse attendance.

Police patrol teams were seen moving through the axis, occasionally sounding sirens, reinforcing security visibility in the area.

Despite the slow pace of voting, markets in Kurudu, Orozo and Kpeigyi bustled with activity. Traders displayed vegetables, grains and other food items, while buyers conducted transactions as though it were a typical market day.
The lively commercial scenes stood in stark contrast to the muted civic engagement at nearby polling centres.

Some residents who volunteered to speak attributed the low turnout to voter apathy and dissatisfaction with the political process, while others cited security concerns and logistical challenges.

A few voters also complained of unannounced changes to their polling units, saying they arrived at their usual centres only to discover their names had been reassigned elsewhere, creating confusion.

Overall, the elections along the Jikwoyi-Kurudu-Karshi corridor were peaceful and procedurally orderly, but marked by subdued participation, underscoring the continuing challenge of mobilising voter interest in local electoral contests.