JUST IN: FCT Polls: PDP, YPP agents allege vote buying in Gwagwalada

Agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) have raised concerns over alleged vote buying and ballot irregularities in several polling units in Gwagwalada Area Council during the ongoing FCT local government elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the allegations were reported at polling units including Better Life, UBE, and Kotangora, where party agents claimed that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were not issuing ballot papers in serial order during accreditation and voting.

Momoh Abdul, a YPP agent, criticized INEC officials for allegedly handling ballot papers improperly, claiming that they were tearing papers from the bottom instead of the top. He also alleged that votes were being bought for amounts ranging from ₦500 to ₦3,000, depending on arrangements between voters and party representatives.

Similarly, Yahaya Umar, a PDP agent, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of engaging in vote buying, stating that such practices could undermine the credibility of the election.

The APC agent, Hamidu Gimba, however, denied the allegations, insisting that no vote buying occurred during the exercise.

Meanwhile, the Presiding Officer at Polling Unit 002, Gwagwalada, Mr. Francis Ihyomna, refuted claims that ballot papers were not issued serially. He explained that ballot papers were being issued in proper sequence and that no papers had been torn or rejected.

Ihyomna also acknowledged minor complaints about missing names in the voter register, noting that one voter, identified as Aisha, was initially unlisted at the polling unit but was later located in another register.

Earlier, the YPP agent had similarly raised concerns about omitted names on the INEC voter register, highlighting voter frustrations during the process.