The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, led top officials of the Commission to monitor a mock accreditation exercise in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026.
The monitoring team included the National Commissioners; Mallam Mohammed Haruna , Alhaji Abdulrazaq Tukur Yusu, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the FCT, Alhaji Aminu Kasimu Idris; the Administrative Secretary, INEC FCT, Mrs. Bimbo Oladunjoye; the Acting Director-General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), Professor Ibrahim Sani; National Commissioners, aides to the INEC Chairman, and other senior officials of the Commission.
The team visited designated polling units in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Bwari Area Council to assess the level of preparedness for the forthcoming election.
During the exercise, Prof. Amupitan also observed the ongoing Training-of-Trainers (ToT) programme for Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs). Addressing the trainees, he stressed the importance of strict adherence to the training manual to ensure uniformity in election conduct across all area councils.
“Your trainer is teaching you based on a manual that has been carefully prepared to guide the process and ensure uniformity. As SPOs, you already know your statutory duties,” he said, urging them to study the manual thoroughly and understand its contents.
He explained that the training was aimed at reactivating their existing knowledge and preparing them for their critical roles ahead of the election. The INEC Chairman reminded the SPOs that they would also train other election officials, emphasizing that they were key actors in the electoral process.
Prof. Amupitan cautioned against compromise, noting that Nigeria is in dire need of a stable and credible electoral system. According to him, INEC is committed to restoring public confidence in the electoral process through continuous training, mock exercises, and deployment of improved technology.
He explained that the mock exercise was designed to test both accreditation and voting processes, with particular focus on the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which he described as a game-changer in Nigeria’s elections.
“We have improved on the BVAS, and we do not want to use the main election as a testing ground. This mock accreditation and mock voting exercise allows us to test and further improve the system,” he said.
The INEC Chairman expressed satisfaction with the performance of the BVAS, noting that voter accreditation took less than five seconds and that the system effectively prevented multiple accreditation attempts.
He also noted the presence of political party agents observing the exercise, adding that while civil society observers were not present, the exercise remained a valuable opportunity to test preparedness and create voter awareness.
On logistics, Prof. Amupitan confirmed that all non-sensitive materials had been properly deployed, while training for Presiding Officers would commence the following week. He reiterated that while civic education is part of INEC’s mandate, voter mobilization and campaigning remain the responsibility of political parties.
Commending election officials for their dedication despite modest remuneration, the INEC Chairman described their service as a sacrifice and a contribution to nation-building, expressing hope that such efforts would one day be nationally recognized.
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