Independent National Electoral Commission Clarifies FCT Polling Units Were Split in 2022, Not 2026

Oru Leonard 

Abuja, February 24, 2026 — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that the split of polling units in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) occurred in February 2022 and not ahead of the February 21, 2026 Area Council election.
In a press statement signed by its Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the Commission said the recent election was conducted successfully but acknowledged that some voters experienced difficulties locating their designated polling units on Election Day.
INEC dismissed claims that voters were migrated to new polling units shortly before the 2026 election, stating categorically that no voter migration was carried out this year.

The Commission disclosed that under its Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units initiative in 2022, more than 56,000 additional polling units were created nationwide. This increased the total number of polling units across the country from 119,972 to over 176,000.
To populate the newly created units—many of which initially had no registered voters—about 6.7 million voters were redistributed from approximately 12,000 congested polling units to around 17,000 less congested ones nationwide.

In the FCT, INEC decongested 411 polling units and redistributed about 580,000 voters to 1,156 polling units as part of the exercise.
“The split polling units referenced in recent discussions were created in February 2022 and not in 2026,” the Commission stated.

INEC explained that split polling units are additional voting points equipped with BVAS devices, deployed to large polling units with more than 1,250 registered voters. The measure is aimed at reducing overcrowding, improving orderliness, and accelerating voter accreditation and voting.

According to the Commission, these split units are situated only a few metres from the original polling units and remain within the same premises. It stressed that the arrangement does not alter voters’ registration status but simply redistributes voters within the same location for administrative efficiency.
Voter Notifications and Assistance
The Commission noted that during a recent mock election in the FCT, it observed that some voters who were migrated in 2022 were still facing difficulties identifying their polling units.
To address this, INEC said it sent text messages and emails to affected voters between February 18 and 21, 2026, providing details of their polling unit locations. The notifications, it emphasized, were strictly reminders to assist voters.

INEC also encouraged voters to verify their polling details ahead of elections through its online Polling Unit Locator and to physically visit their polling locations before Election Day where possible.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to improving electoral service delivery and urged citizens to take advantage of available verification platforms to avoid unnecessary inconvenience.