Ahead of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has conducted a readiness assessment tour of selected Area Councils, reiterating the Commission’s commitment to electoral neutrality and professionalism.
The INEC Chairman, accompanied by National Commissioners, aides and directors of the Commission, visited Kuje, Gwagwalada and Bwari Area Councils. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the FCT, Mallam Aminu K. Idris, and the Administrative Secretary, Mrs. Bimbo Oladunjoye, were also part of the delegation.
At each council, the team was received by the respective Electoral Officers: Mr. Yakubu Allawa (Kuje), Mr. Bola Abdullahi (Gwagwalada) and Mrs. Gloria Adebayo-Stephen (Bwari), who presented operational briefings on their levels of preparedness.
Addressing staff during the visits, Prof. Amupitan emphasised that INEC, as established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, operates as an independent institution guided strictly by law. He noted that Electoral Officers represent the Commission at the Area Council level and bear direct responsibility for election management within their jurisdictions.
He reminded officials that the conduct of elections is regulated by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines, urging strict adherence to established procedures.
The Electoral Officers briefed the Chairman on logistics arrangements, including the distribution of materials, activation of Registration Area Centres (RACs), deployment strategies and coordination with security agencies.
In Bwari, Mrs. Adebayo-Stephen, in addition to her operational update, presented a customised card signed by staff of the Area Council office as a symbol of solidarity and commitment to the successful conduct of the election.
Prof. Amupitan explained that the purpose of the tour was to verify that all necessary arrangements were in place for a smooth exercise. He directed that all materials be delivered to RACs on Friday, ahead of election day, to ensure timely deployment to polling units. He further instructed that ad-hoc staff and security personnel report promptly to RACs to facilitate early movement, with accreditation and voting scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m.
During the inspection, the Chairman examined storage facilities to confirm the availability and proper batching of non-sensitive materials. He stressed the importance of adequate security deployment to maintain order and safeguard personnel and election materials, particularly in identified flashpoints.
He reiterated that results must be counted and declared at polling units, recorded on the prescribed forms and transmitted in accordance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines. He also confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be deployed for voter accreditation and upload of polling unit results.
Prof. Amupitan concluded by reminding all officials of their obligation to maintain neutrality and professionalism throughout the process, noting that the Commission remains committed to conducting the FCT Area Council elections in strict compliance with the law and established regulations.
