From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Candidate, contesting for Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Chairmanship election, Hon. Swani Buba, has expressed optimism of winning the Chairmanship position at the end of the election process after casting his vote.
Speaking to newsmen after casted his vote at polling Unit 04-001, Wuse Zone 1, Hon. Buba said he was optimistic of winning because he knew people will vote for him having been tired with APC government.
ZLP AMAC Chairmanship Candidate, after exercising his franchise this morning commended the accreditation and voting, which he said went smoothly.
The ZLP candidate who arrived at his polling unit at about 10:20 AM, this morning was able to cast his vote after a little glitch by the BVAS Machine, that initially failed to capture his picture after three consecutive times. He was later captured successfully as he voted at exactly 10:27 AM, using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
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Speaking to journalists after casting his vote, Buba described the early morning process as smooth but expressed deep concern over widespread turn out of voters.
“I am the Chairmanship Candidate for Zenith Labour Party in AMAC. We can see that the process is smooth. Unfortunately, the voter apathy has really eaten deep into the electorates though, I hope that something will be done about it”, he said.
On the statements allegedly credited to the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, suggesting they had intimidated voters and created fear that the elections could be swayed arbitrarily, he said the minister’s words created fear among the people. “I’m so sad about it, people have refused to come out to show that they can change their leaders whom they didn’t want.”
“Despite these challenges, I remain optimistic about my prospects. I’ve been optimistic right from day one. So, if it’s about being optimistic, yes. I can categorically tell you that I’m going to win the election,” he declared confidently.
Buba further emphasised his party’s commitment to monitoring the process closely, stating that “We’ll be here to make sure our votes count. So, we’re watching.”
The election comes just days after President Bola Tinubu, signed amendments to the Electoral Act into law on February 19, 2026, which include provisions for electronic transmission of results (with contingencies for technical failures).
He described the rapid signing, occurring just days after passage, as “questionable,” noting the lack of referral to the Minister of Justice for further review, but expressed hope that it would pave the way for better electoral practices in future national contests.
Buba reiterated his party’s resolve to collaborate with security agencies, particularly noting that urban areas like Central Abuja are expected to remain relatively peaceful, though reports from outlying wards would guide final assessments. “We’re going to work with the police. You know, we’re inside the town here, so we don’t expect much trouble in town,” he stated.
