INEC Assures Stakeholders of Full Readiness For FCT Area Council Elections
…Says 1,680,315 Registered Voters Will Exercise Their Franchise
By Raphael Ekpang
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured political parties, candidates, security agencies, observers, and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of its full preparedness to conduct a credible, peaceful, and transparent Area Council Election scheduled for 21st February 2026.
The INEC chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan gave the assurance during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja attended by leaders of political parties, chairmanship and councillorship candidates, security agencies, civil society organisations, and members of the media.
Amupitan disclosed that the election will involve 1,680,315 registered voters who will cast their ballots across 2,822 polling units in the six area councils of the FCT. A total of 570 candidates will be contesting for chairmanship and councillorship positions across the wards.
He noted that the FCT Area Council election remains the only local government election conducted by INEC nationwide, making it a crucial benchmark for grassroots democracy and electoral credibility in Nigeria.
Key Preparations Concluded
INEC chairman excitedly confirmed that it has substantially implemented activities contained in its 13-item timetable and schedule of activities, with campaigns expected to end by midnight of 19th February 2026. Additionally he said the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ended on 10th February 2026, with 106,999 PVCs collected from the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, reflecting strong voter interest in the process.
However in furtherance of transparency and inclusivity, Prof. Amupitan said the commission accredited 89 domestic and international observer groups and 700 journalists representing 72 media organisations to cover the election. Adding that training and deployment arrangements have been completed, with 11,873 polling unit officials and supporting supervisory and technical staff mobilised across the FCT.
Technology, Logistics and Security
INEC chairman further stated that the upgraded BVAS will be deployed in all polling units for voter accreditation, while results will be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in line with established procedures.
To ensure seamless logistics, the Commission disclosed that 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles, and 14 boats will be deployed, including boats for riverine communities in Abaji Area Council.
INEC further noted that security assessments have been conducted and strategies are being finalised through inter-agency consultations to guarantee a peaceful election environment.
Warning Against Vote Buying
Meanwhile, INEC issued a strong warning against vote trading and vote buying, describing the practice as a serious electoral offence. INEC called on law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant and ensure that offenders are arrested and prosecuted.
Call for Peaceful Participation
Prof. Amupitan appealed to all stakeholders to play their roles responsibly. Political parties and candidates were urged to caution their supporters, security agencies were reminded to remain professional and impartial, while the media was encouraged to report accurately and avoid misinformation.
The Commission called on eligible voters to turn out peacefully on Election Day and exercise their franchise in an orderly manner.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to delivering an election that is free, fair, credible, and widely acceptable, thereby consolidating the FCT’s standing as a model for local government elections in Nigeria.
Earlier, the Honourable Resident Electoral Commission of FCT, Mallam Aminu Kasimu Idris had noted that since the beginning of the electoral process, it has successfully monitored political party primaries, published the personal particulars of candidates, supervised campaigns, conducted the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, and facilitated the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by eligible voters.
Idris also confirmed that the Register of Voters has been published and copies distributed to all political parties contesting the election. “The Commission has further held several engagements with stakeholders and the media to ensure maximum publicity and voter awareness ahead of Election Day.”
As part of additional measures to ease voter participation, FCT REC announced the display of the voters register at polling units across the FCT. This initiative, Mallam Idris explained, is aimed at helping voters identify their correct polling units in advance, particularly in response to challenges experienced during the 2022 election due to voter migration.
