NIGERIA: INEC Issues Notice Of Poll For 2026 FCT Area Council Elections

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally announced that the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Election will hold on Saturday, February 21, across all six Area Councils in the territory.

In a public Notice of Poll issued in line with Section 44 of the Electoral Act 2022, on Saturday, INEC stated that polling will commence at 8:30 a.m. at all designated polling units throughout the FCT.

The election will cover the six Area Councils: Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali, involving the election of chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councillors.

The Commission emphasised strict adherence to electoral guidelines, stating “Only persons whose names appear on the voter register and have valid Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) shall be allowed to vote.”

Voters are reminded to cast their ballots exclusively at the polling units where they are registered, with accreditation to be conducted using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). INEC reiterated its key policy “No PVC, no voting.”

This notice marks a critical milestone in preparations for the poll, following the publication of the revised Register of Voters (totalling 1,680,315 registered voters) in January and recent stakeholder engagements.

INEC has urged eligible residents to ensure they have collected their PVCs, as collection remains ongoing at Area Council offices. The Commission also highlighted ongoing mock accreditation exercises and other preparatory activities to ensure a credible, transparent, and peac

eful election.