At last, voters will tomorrow cast their votes for contestants to fill vacant positions of six chairmen and 62 councillors in six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The election had been postponed severally, a development that heightened tension, especially among opposition political parties, who alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government at the centre was trying to manipulate the process in its favour.
Another allegation was that the elections were postponed because of the failure of some of the area councils in the FCT to pay salaries of their workers, a setback which was used by other parties to lampoon the authorities during their campaigns.
However, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), had last week released over N1.6 billion as bailout to the six area councils in the FCT for the payment of two months salaries owed their workers.
Meanwhile, at least 30 political parties have fielded candidates to contest in elections in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Kuje area councils.
Undoubtedly, the election in AMAC would be hotly contested because 13 political parties have fielded candidates for the chairmanship position.
Kura Bitrus Tanko of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is seeking for another term; Abdullahi Adamu is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while Joseph Mekwunye is seeking for the position under the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA).
AMAC, the largest area council in the territory, has 12 wards and about 225 polling units.
The contest in Bwari Area Council is between four political parties – APC, PDP and Action Alliance (AA). With 10 wards and about 80 polling units, it is the second largest in the territory.
Though Abaji Area Council has the least polling units (56) in the territory and with only APC and PDP fielding candidates, the already tensed atmosphere in the area has been generating concern. There have been swipes from both AbdulRahman Ajiya of APC and Yahaya Garba of the PDP.
Four parties would be contesting the chairmanship election in Gwagwalada and Kuje area councils and three parties in Kwali Area Council.
The election, earlier scheduled for March 19, holds tomorrow after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in FCT said it had gotten the required number of ad hoc staff needed for the poll.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Jacob Jatau, said on Tuesday that 9,000 more ad hoc workers were trained for the poll.