Voting commenced on schedule at Polling Unit 18, located at the Post Office in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, as residents turned out early to participate in the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections.

Electoral officials arrived ahead of time to set up materials and organise the voting area. The process formally began at 9:05 a.m., shortly after officials completed the pasting of the voter register and party agents finished cross-checking details on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS.

Accreditation and voting proceeded in an orderly manner, with voters forming queues and moving through the process without major delays. The BVAS devices, which have been central to recent electoral reforms, functioned effectively at the unit, allowing for quick verification of fingerprints and facial recognition.

Observers at the scene reported that voters were generally calm and cooperative, with many expressing determination to exercise their civic duty despite concerns about governance and service delivery at the local level. Some residents said they arrived early to avoid crowds and to ensure their names were correctly captured on the register.

Security presence around the polling unit was visible but not overbearing. Officers of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigeria Correctional Service were deployed to maintain order, protect electoral officials, and safeguard sensitive materials such as ballot papers and result sheets.

Security personnel monitored access to the voting area, checked movements around the perimeter, and intervened occasionally to organise queues and prevent minor disputes from escalating. No major incidents were recorded during the early hours of voting.

Party agents representing the major political parties closely observed the process, taking notes and occasionally conferring with electoral officials over procedural issues. They appeared largely satisfied with the conduct of accreditation and the handling of materials, though some called for continued vigilance as voting and counting progress.

Residents at the AMAC Polling Unit 18 said they hoped the transparent use of BVAS and the visible security deployment would help build confidence in the outcome of the poll and reduce disputes over the final results.