The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has assured residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of a peaceful, transparent and credible Area Council election scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, Prof. Amupitan said the Commission has substantially concluded preparations for the election, describing the exercise as a shared responsibility among political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, the media and voters.
“This engagement provides an opportunity for open and constructive dialogue as we approach Election Day. While INEC is constitutionally mandated to conduct elections, their success depends on the cooperation, restraint and commitment of all stakeholders,” he stated.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that 1,680,315 registered voters will cast their ballots in 2,822 polling units across the six Area Councils — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.
A total of 570 candidates are contesting 68 constituencies, including Chairmanship, Vice-Chairmanship and 62 Councillorship seats. He emphasized that the FCT Area Council election remains the only local government poll conducted by INEC.
According to Prof. Amupitan, the Commission has implemented 11 out of 13 activities outlined in its timetable. The two remaining milestones are the conclusion of campaigns at midnight on Thursday, February 19, and Election Day itself on Saturday, February 21.
PVC distribution ended on February 10, with 106,099 cards collected during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, signaling strong voter interest.
INEC has also accredited 89 domestic and foreign observer groups and 700 journalists from 72 media organizations to monitor and cover the election.
The Commission confirmed that the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed in all polling units, with results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). A mock accreditation conducted in 289 polling units returned satisfactory results.
To ensure seamless logistics, INEC has secured 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles and 14 boats for Election Day deployment. Polling units are expected to open promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Prof. Amupitan reiterated that INEC has no preferred candidate or political party and warned against vote trading. He disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will deploy personnel to apprehend offenders.
“Vote buying undermines democracy and will not be tolerated,” he warned.
In his welcome address, FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mallam Aminu Kasimu Idris, said preparations began on January 22, 2025, with the monitoring of party primaries, publication of candidates’ particulars, voter register display and PVC distribution.
He noted that the Commission is re-displaying the register at polling units to help voters identify their voting locations ahead of Saturday’s poll, addressing challenges observed during the 2022 elections due to voter migration.
The REC appealed to voters to turn out en masse, urged the media to promote accurate information, and called on party agents, observers and ad hoc staff to discharge their responsibilities diligently.
National Commissioner supervising the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Kuku Haruna, described the meeting as one of the final engagements before Election Day.
He revealed that the Commission had conducted on-the-spot assessments in Gwagwalada, Kuje and Bwari Area Councils and expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness. He stressed the constitutional importance of the FCT election, noting that it remains the only council election conducted by INEC since 1999.
Representing the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) FCT Chairman, Secretary Adama Umar Yahaya commended INEC’s transparency and reaffirmed political parties’ commitment to peaceful and credible elections.
FCT Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ateli Samson, praised the Commission for intensive training provided to corps members who will serve as ad hoc staff and assured continued support and supervision.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Miller G. Dantawaye of the FCT Police Command, announced massive security deployment across polling units and strategic locations. He disclosed that security agencies have conducted multiple stakeholder engagements and coordinated planning sessions, including visits to identified flashpoints, to guarantee voter safety. Residents were encouraged to turn out without fear, as security personnel will be strategically positioned to respond swiftly to any emergency.
The forum concluded with an interactive session where stakeholders raised questions and received clarifications from INEC and security agencies.
Shortly after the stakeholders’ meeting, the Hon. Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, and members of the Commission proceeded to an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting to further review and harmonize security strategies ahead of the poll.
0 Comments