Borno LG poll: PDP, ADC off ballot as residents vote

The ballot paper used for the election. Photo credit: Isah Ojo

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Leading opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), were absent from the ballot as residents of Borno State trooped out en masse on Saturday to elect their representatives for local government chairmanship and councillorship seats.

Our correspondent, who visited some voting centres in the Konduga Local Government Area and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, observed that voting commenced at exactly 8:30 a.m., with six political parties on the ballot.

The parties include the All Progressives Congress, Boot Party, Labour Party, Peoples Redemption Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and the Social Democratic Party.

PUNCH had reported that the PDP spokesperson in Borno State, Amos Adziba, said in a statement on Friday that the party was withdrawing from the poll on the grounds of distrust of the commission and the high cost of expression of interest and nomination forms.

Titled “Why we’re boycotting Borno LG polls,” the statement alleged that the Borno State Independent Electoral Commission did not give opposition parties sufficient reasons to build confidence in the credibility and fairness of the election.

The statement read: “The leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State has disclosed that it will not participate in the December 13, 2025 local government elections in the state because of the high cost of expression of interest and nomination forms, as well as lack of trust in the electoral body.”

Adziba, while condemning the cost of the forms, said the party alleged that the electoral body was unmindful of the prevailing economic challenges in the country by demanding high fees for the purchase of expression of interest and nomination forms.

According to him, another concern raised by the party was the failure of the government to amend the electoral law to allow councillorship election results to be announced at the ward level and chairmanship results at the local government headquarters.

“Since the state government has not amended the law, it means that it will be business as usual for the APC to ambush other political parties with electoral fraud,” he said.

Reacting at a press briefing late Friday in Maiduguri, the Chairman of the Borno State Independent Electoral Commission, Tahir Shettima, said the commission was working in accordance with the constitution and in the interest of all political parties that showed interest in the election.

Shettima said various stakeholders, including political parties, were consulted before the prices were fixed.

He said, “The fixing of prices is within the confines of our powers. We did not fix these prices unilaterally. We had a series of engagements with political parties where we arrived at the figures.

“If you come, we will not stop you. If you do not come, it is not our business. However, it is our desire to see many players and political parties participating. At this stage, we have six parties on board. Our hands are tied by rules, regulations and the law. We cannot force anybody to participate,” he stated.

According to him, the commission is empowered by law to organise elections and determine how they are conducted.

“On the matter of fixing prices for forms, our chairmanship form is ₦500,000. A comparative analysis of what is obtained in other states of the federation shows it is reasonable, considering the current inflationary situation,” he said. Voters who spoke to PUNCH Online confirmed a smooth electoral process as of the time of filing this report.

One of them, Ali Musa of Dalori Walori polling unit in Konduga Local Government Area, described the exercise as peaceful and commended the efforts of electoral officials.

“We started at exactly 8:30 a.m. The officials exemplified professionalism. So far, I will describe the process as peaceful and orderly,” he said.

Another voter at the Mandarari polling unit in Konduga, Tijjani Abdullahi, said the exercise was more organised compared with previous elections.

“What made this one stand out is that everything was already put in order before we got to the centre. We only came, joined the queue and voted. There was no violence or confusion,” he said.

However, in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, a voter, Kida Hadiza, lamented that the government did not inform voters whether there would be movement restrictions.

“So far, the exercise is commendable. However, I will advise that next time there should be a clear notification on whether there will be movement restrictions, because no one informed us whether movement was free or restricted for the election,” she said.

Details later.

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