KEY POINTS
- EFCC arrested 20 suspects and recovered over ₦17 million linked to alleged vote buying during FCT council polls.
- A suspect was caught with ₦13.5 million in a vehicle parked near a polling unit in Kwali.
- APC won five of six chairmanship seats, while PDP secured one amid low turnout and opposition allegations of malpractice.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says its operatives arrested 20 individuals for alleged electoral offences during the area council elections conducted across the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday.
According to the EFCC, the suspects were apprehended for crimes linked to vote buying and vote selling, practices that undermine electoral credibility and democratic transparency.
The arrests were confirmed in a statement released via the agency’s, EFCC, official X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday.
₦13.5 Million Found in Car by EFCC Near Polling Unit
The EFCC disclosed that more than ₦17 million was recovered from some of the suspects. One of the most striking incidents involved a suspect allegedly found with ₦13.5 million inside a vehicle parked close to a polling booth in Kwali. Investigators suspect the cash was intended for inducement of voters.
The council elections were marked by notably low voter turnout across several polling units. The African Democratic Congress alleged irregularities after its candidates lost in multiple councils, raising concerns about the integrity of the voting process.
Despite the controversies, the All Progressives Congress secured a sweeping victory, winning five of the six chairmanship seats contested. The Peoples Democratic Party clinched victory in only one council area; Gwagwalada.
