By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: As the sun sets over the hills of Abuja on Saturday Feb-ruary 7, 2026, the political atmosphere in the nation’s capital reached a fever pitch.

Earlier in the day, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC conducted a mock accreditation exercise, signalling its readiness for the Area Council Poll in Abuja.

News of the exercise quickly spread, and politicians began to ramp up their campaigns which would end five days from then.

On Saturday, February 21, 2026, over 1.6 million residents of the Federal Capital Territory FCT will head to 2,822 polling units to elect 62 councillors and six area council chairmen.

While local elections in Nigeria have historically been overshadowed by the grandeur of general polls, the 2026 FCT Area Council election is carrying a different weight.

Under the leadership of Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, the INEC is transforming this local exercise into a high-stakes litmus test for the 2027 General Election. From aggressive technological upgrades to a revamped voter register, the Commission is signaling that the era of experimental elections is over.
A credible election begins with an accurate database, and on January 14, 2026, INEC crossed a major milestone by presenting the revised Register of Voters to stakeholders.
The figures tell a story of growing civic engagement, as the number of registered voters in the FCT climbed from 1.57 million in 2023 to 1,680,315.
The FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner REC, Malam Aminu Idris, described the revision as a rigorous constitutional necessity.
Following a Continuous Voter Registration exercise that resumed in August 2025, the Commission utilized biometric deduplication to ensure the integrity of the list.
Malam Idris told political leaders that the revised register now supersedes all previous registers, and he urged them to match INEC’s administrative readiness with intensified voter mobilization.
If the voter register is the foundation, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS is the fortress. Memories of technical glitches in past elections have often fueled skepticism, but Prof. Amupitan is determined to change the narrative.
On Saturday, February 7, the Commission conducted a mock election across selected polling units in the territory to pressure-test the hardware.
Prof. Amupitan told journalists while touring polling units in Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC and Bwari that the Commission did not want to use the main election as a guinea pig.
He explained that the exercise was basically to test operational preparedness and that the major focus was the functionality of the BVAS, which he described as a game changer for the Commission.
The Chairman was visibly satisfied as the upgraded devices clocked accreditation speeds of between five seconds to one minute per voter.
To prove the system’s resilience, a simulation was conducted where a voter attempted to be accredited twice, and the BVAS immediately flagged the attempt. Prof. Amupitan affirmed that with this technology, there is no way a person can be accredited twice or vote twice.
Addressing the perennial problem of network dead zones in rural communities, the Chairman revealed a pragmatic backup plan. He explained that the Commission has worked on all necessary operational protocols and security measures, including provisions for presiding officers to use personal hotspots if they encounter internet issues. He added that the system is designed to automatically upload results to the IReV portal once it detects a signal.
Administrative brilliance can be undone in minutes by security breaches, and recognizing this, Prof. Amupitan has taken a proactive stance through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security ICCES.
Emboldened by the peaceful conduct of the Anambra State Governorship Election in late 2025, the Chairman is demanding an even higher level of coordination for the FCT.
He stated during the first regular ICCES meeting of 2026 that elections can only be credible when voters, election personnel and materials are adequately protected.
Amupitan placed a heavy burden of responsibility on security agencies to ensure strict enforcement of the law, prevent the use of political thugs, curb vote-buying and guarantee the safety of voters and INEC officials on election day.
The Commission will soon conclud the training of election security personnel and is moving sensitive materials under secure conditions.
However, the Chairman was blunt in his assessment that no amount of administrative readiness can substitute for effective security coordination.
He urged all agencies to maintain constant communication and rapid response mechanisms, particularly at identified flashpoints across the six Area Councils.

Race against Voter Apathy
Despite these technological and logistical strides, the ghost of voter apathy still haunts the process.
During the mock accreditation, the Chairman noted a lower-than-expected turnout, prompting a sharp reminder to the political class that while it is the responsibility of INEC to provide civic education, it is the responsibility of the political parties to campaign and mobilize people.
Amupitan’s message to the residents of Abuja is one of empowerment and foresight. He has framed the February 21 poll not just as a local choice, but as a moment of self-determination.
He urged Nigerians to recognize that they can vote today and shape their tomorrow, adding that if people want to predict their tomorrow, they should create it now.
As the campaign window prepares to close on February 19, the FCT election stands as a beacon. By integrating enhanced accreditation protocols and securing the voter register, Prof. Amupitan is attempting to build a template that can be scaled for the entire nation.
The Commission has concluded the batching of non-sensitive materials and the training of ad-hoc staff, which began on February 6 and will conclude on the 15th.
All that remains is the human element – the voters and the political actors. Prof. Amupitan’s INEC has laid the table for a transparent feast of democracy, and his confidence remains unwavering. He has cautioned against unnecessary tension regarding legislative debates over the Electoral Act, insisting that the Commission will work with the existing law while remaining flexible enough to adjust to any minor changes. The system is ready, the technology is proven, and the game changer is in play.

Voter Statistics and electoral geography
The foundation of the 2026 polls rests on a significantly expanded and cleaned voter database.

• Total Registered Voters: 1,680,315 (an increase from 1,570,307 in 2023).
• Polling Units: 2,822 spread across the territory.
• Seats to be Filled: 68 (6 Chairmanship positions and 62 Councillorship seats).
• Geographic Scope: All six Area Councils (Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abaji).
  Technology: The BVAS Framework
  The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) remains the centerpiece of INEC’s “Game Changer” strategy for 2026.
• Mock Accreditation: Conducted on February 7, 2026, across 289 selected polling units.
• Accreditation Speed: Verified at five seconds to one minute or less per voter during pressure tests.
• Security Features: Enhanced biometric duplication and protocols to prevent double accreditation/voting.
• Connectivity Solutions: Deployment of personal hotspots for Presiding Officers in “dead zones” and automated offline-to-online data synchronization for the IReV portal.
  Key Timelines and Administrative Milestones
  The road to February 21 has been marked by strict adherence to the constitutional and administrative work plan.
• Continuous Voter Registration (CVR): Resumed August 18, 2025; suspended October 12, 2025, for register revision.
• Final List Publication: Revised register presented to political parties on January 14, 2026.
• Training Window: Ad-hoc staff training commenced February 6 and concludes on February 15, 2026.
• Campaign Deadline: All political campaigns must officially close by Thursday, February 19, 2026.
• Election Day: Saturday, February 21, 2026.

Security and Oversight
The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security ICCES has been activated to manage potential flashpoints.

• Core Objective: Enforcement of law, prevention of political thuggery, and elimination of vote-buying.
• Coordination: Proactive intelligence sharing between the Nigeria Police Force and sister-agencies.
• Material Security: Non-sensitive materials already deployed; sensitive materials to be delivered under high-security escort.

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