The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has warned that vote buying will not be tolerated in the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, Prof. Amupitan assured residents of a peaceful, transparent and credible poll, stressing that while INEC is constitutionally mandated to conduct elections, the success of the process depends on collective responsibility.
“This engagement provides an opportunity for open and constructive dialogue as we approach Election Day. The success of the election depends on the cooperation, restraint and commitment of all stakeholders,” he said.
According to the INEC Chairman, 1,680,315 registered voters are expected to 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, covering Chairmanship, Vice-Chairmanship and 62 Councillorship seats. He noted that the FCT Area Council election remains the only local government poll conducted by INEC.
Prof. Amupitan disclosed that 11 out of 13 activities in the Commission’s timetable have been completed. The remaining milestones are the conclusion of campaigns at midnight on Thursday, February 19, and Election Day itself.
Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution ended on February 10, with 106,099 cards collected during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, reflecting significant voter interest.
INEC has accredited 89 domestic and international observer groups, as well as 700 journalists from 72 media organisations to monitor and report on the election. The upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed across all polling units, with results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). A mock accreditation exercise conducted in 289 polling units yielded satisfactory outcomes.
To ensure efficient logistics, the Commission has secured 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles and 14 boats for deployment on Election Day. Polling units are scheduled to open at 8:30 a.m.
Reiterating the Commission’s neutrality, the INEC Chairman emphasized that it has no preferred candidate or political party and cautioned 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, the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Aminu Kasimu Idris, said preparations commenced on January 22, 2025, with the monitoring of party primaries, publication of candidates’ particulars, voter register display and PVC distribution.
He added that the voter register is being re-displayed at polling units to help voters confirm their locations, particularly in light of migration-related challenges observed during the 2022 elections. He urged voters to turn out in large numbers, called on the media to ensure accurate reporting, and appealed to party agents, observers and ad hoc staff to perform their duties diligently.
National Commissioner supervising the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Kuku Haruna, described the stakeholders’ meeting as one of the final engagements before Election Day. He disclosed that the Commission conducted on-the-spot assessments in Gwagwalada, Kuje and Bwari Area Councils and expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness.
Representing the FCT Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Secretary Adama Umar Yahaya commended INEC’s transparency and reaffirmed political parties’ commitment to a peaceful process.
FCT Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ateli Samson, praised the Commission for the intensive training provided to corps members who will serve as ad hoc staff and assured continued support.
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Miller G. Dantawaye of the FCT Police Command, announced extensive security deployment across polling units and identified flashpoints. He said security agencies had held multiple coordination meetings and conducted visits to strategic locations to guarantee voter safety.
The forum concluded with an interactive session, after which Prof. Amupitan and members of the Commission proceeded to a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to harmonise final security strategies ahead of the poll.
