Independent National Electoral Commission Reaffirms Readiness for 2026 FCT Area Council Polls
Oru Leonard
Abuja, February 18, 2026 – The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, SAN, has assured stakeholders of the Commission’s full preparedness for the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, Prof. Amupitan emphasized that the successful conduct of the elections is a shared responsibility between INEC and critical actors, including political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media, and voters.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that 1,680,315 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in 2,822 polling units across the six Area Councils of the FCT—Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.
A total of 570 candidates are contesting 68 constituencies, covering the positions of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen as well as 62 Councilorship seats.
“These figures underscore the scale of the exercise and the responsibility placed upon all of us to ensure its success,” he stated.
Timetable on Track, Campaigns End February 19.
Prof. Amupitan announced that INEC has successfully implemented all activities outlined in its 13-item Timetable and Schedule of Activities. Only two milestones remain: the conclusion of campaigns at midnight on Thursday, February 19, and the conduct of the election on Saturday.
He urged political parties and candidates to comply strictly with the law as campaigns wind down.
PVC Collection and Voter Turnout
INEC confirmed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ended on February 10, 2026, with 106,099 PVCs collected from the Continuous Voter Registration exercise suspended in October 2025.
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The Chairman encouraged all registered voters who have collected their PVCs to turn out peacefully and exercise their franchise.
Observers, Media Accredited
To ensure transpaoprency, INEC accredited 89 domestic and foreign observer groups and 700 journalists from 72 media organisations to monitor and cover the election process.
The Commission also completed the training and deployment of 11,873 Polling Unit Officials, supported by supervisory and technical staff across the Territory.
Upgraded BVAS to Be Deployed
INEC will deploy the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in all 2,822 polling units. Results will be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal in line with established procedures.
According to the Chairman, all BVAS devices—including those for 195 split polling units and an additional five percent backup—have been tested and fully charged. A mock accreditation exercise conducted in 289 polling units across the FCT returned satisfactory results.
Logistics and Security Measures
To avoid logistical lapses, INEC has secured the deployment of 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles, and 14 boats for election duties. Polling units are expected to open promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Addressing the issue of vote buying, Prof. Amupitan revealed that the Commission has mandated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to deploy personnel to polling units to apprehend offenders.
“Vote trading undermines the sanctity of the ballot and erodes public confidence in democratic institutions. It must not be tolerated,” he warned.
Call for Peaceful Conduct
Reiterating INEC’s neutrality, the Chairman stressed that the Commission has no preferred candidate or political party.
“Our mandate is clear: to provide the enabling environment for residents of the Federal Capital Territory to freely choose their representatives,” he said.
He called on political parties, candidates, security agencies, the media, observers, and voters to uphold professionalism, impartiality, and peaceful conduct before, during, and after the election.
Over 1.6 million voters across 2,822 polling units will make their choice on Saturday. INEC, he concluded, stands ready to ensure that votes are cast freely, counted accurately, and reflected transparently.
Source: INEC Press Corps
