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INEC Promises e-transmission of FCT Council Poll Results, Warns Against Vote-buying
Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan, said on Wednesday that the results of the FCT Area Council Elections will be transmitted electronically to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal in accordance with extant laws.
The INEC chairman also disclosed that about 1,680,315 registered voters will participate in Saturday’s Area Council Elections.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja, the INEC chairman said the commission will be deploying about 11,873 polling unit officials across the six Area Councils, warning however that the commission will not accept any excuse for failure.
He warned against vote buying during the elections, adding that the commission is working closely with the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to nip the incident in the bud.
“The conduct of credible elections is a shared responsibility. While the Commission is constitutionally mandated to organise, undertake and supervise elections, their success depends on the cooperation, restraint and commitment of all stakeholders acting within the framework of the law.
“This election will involve 1,680,315 registered voters who will cast their ballots in 2,822 polling units spread across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, namely Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali. A total of 570 candidates is contesting 68 constituencies for the positions of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen as well as 62 councillorship seats, comprising 10 wards each in five Area Councils and 12 wards in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
“These figures underscore the scale of the exercise and the responsibility placed upon all of us to ensure its success.
“It is important to note that the FCT Area Council Election remains the only local government election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Over the years, it has become a reference point for Local Government elections conducted by State Independent Electoral Commissions, particularly because of the diversity reflected in its outcomes.
“The credibility of this process has strengthened confidence in grassroots democracy. As we approach Saturday, 21st February 2026, we must collectively resolve to raise the bar even higher.
He said the Commission has kept faith with its commitments, and expect political parties and candidates to equally comply with the law as the campaign period draws to a close.
He affirmed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards ended on February 10, 2026. During the exercise, 106,099 PVCs from the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, which was suspended in the FCT on Sunday, 12th October 2025, were collected.
“This demonstrates the interest of residents of the Federal Capital Territory in participating in the electoral process. We encourage all registered voters who have collected their PVCs to turn out peacefully on Election Day and exercise their franchise in an orderly manner.
“Consistent with our commitment to transparency and inclusiveness, the Commission has accredited 89 domestic and foreign observer groups to observe the election. In addition, 700 journalists representing 72 domestic and foreign media organisations have been accredited to cover the process.
“We appreciate their role in strengthening public confidence and urge them to discharge their responsibilities professionally and in accordance with the applicable guidelines,” he added in a statement.
He disclosed that the commission will be deploying 11, 873 Polling Unit Officials, including officials for the 195 split polling units supported by 282 Supervisory Presiding Officers, 68 Local Government Area and Registration Area Supervisors and Monitors, 68 Registration Area Centre Managers, 208 Registration Area and LGA Technical Support Staff, as well as 192 Registration Area and LGA Collation Officers.
He said: “The emphasis throughout has been on strict adherence to the Electoral Act, the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines, and on professionalism, neutrality and efficiency in the discharge of duties.
“The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System has been upgraded and will be deployed in all 2,822 polling units across the Federal Capital Territory for voter accreditation, and results will be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal in accordance with established procedures.
“All the required BVAS devices for the polling units, including those for the 195 split polling units, as well as the additional five per cent backup, have been thoroughly tested and fully charged for deployment on Election Day.
“To further strengthen public confidence, the Commission conducted a mock accreditation exercise using the improved BVAS in 289 polling units across the FCT. The outcome of that exercise was satisfactory, and we are confident in the effectiveness and reliability of the system for this election.
“Logistics remains central to the successful conduct of elections. On Monday, 16th February 2026, the Commission met with the leadership of the transport unions responsible for providing the bulk of vehicles required for election duty.
“For this election, 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles and 14 boats will be deployed. We made it unequivocally clear that there must be no lapses in logistics on Election Day. Polling units are expected to open promptly at 8.30 a.m. We held extensive discussions and are confident that the unions will fulfil their obligations to ensure timely movement of personnel and materials.
“As we approach Election Day, the Commission has substantially discharged its responsibilities. What remains is for all stakeholders to play their part in ensuring that the election is peaceful, credible and that its outcome is widely accepted. Let me reiterate that INEC does not have a political party and does not have a preferred candidate.
“Our mandate is clear: to provide the enabling environment for residents of the Federal Capital Territory to freely choose their representatives on 21st February 2026. I call on candidates and party leaders to prevail on their supporters to act responsibly, respect the rules and allow the will of the people to prevail.
“There is, however, one issue that must be addressed directly, and that is vote trading or vote buying. The Commission has given an express mandate to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to deploy their personnel to polling units.
“Any individual found buying or selling votes will be apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law. Vote trading undermines the sanctity of the ballot and erodes public confidence in democratic institutions. It must not be tolerated”.
He appealed to stakeholders to recommit themselves to peaceful conduct and strict compliance with the law, adding that security agencies must remain professional and impartial. Political parties must conduct themselves responsibly.
In addition, he said the media must report accurately. Observers must remain objective. Voters must turn out peacefully and exercise their franchise freely.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, has alleged that there may be attempts to prevent key opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, from appearing on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
Oseni’s remark followed a Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of some political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples’ Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance Party (AAP) over alleged constitutional breaches.
The judgment arose from a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional and statutory electoral performance requirements necessary for continued recognition as political parties.
Justice Lifu subsequently barred INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting nominations from them or permitting them to participate in activities related to the 2027 general elections.
The ruling, if upheld, could affect the political ambitions of several politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the ADC presidential flag-bearer, and Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
But speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Oseni described the court ruling as a “test” of public reaction, warning that more actions could follow ahead of the next general election.
According to him, opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should be cautious, claiming that efforts could be made to stop major figures from participating in the election.
Oseni argued that the judgment was part of a broader process aimed at shaping the political landscape ahead of 2027.
He maintained that the ruling came despite some of the affected parties having recorded electoral victories in recent elections.
He warned that Nigerians must remain vigilant to safeguard the country’s democracy, stressing the need for judicial reforms alongside efforts to tackle insecurity.
Oseni said: “NDC, ADC should be careful because there will be attempt, and this is me predicting now, to ensure that Obi, Atiku and other big contenders are not on the ballot.
“This that you saw yesterday is just a test. This is not the real place where the whole thing is going. This is me predicting now.
“You know before you have a show you test the microphone. They want to see the reactions of Nigerians. More is still coming.
“You can see how they carry a judgement when ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi, one Kogi House of Assembly seat, APP one chairmanship seat in Jigawa, Zenith Labour party won several seats in Abia, but they still went ahead and issued judgement for deregistration after the Court of Appeal, a higher court, said it should stay on that.
“If we want to deal with this judicial rascality, can I tell you something? The judge that gave this judgment, nothing will happen to him. Nothing on this earth. They are just coming.
“And who is leading this group? Gbajabiamila. Have you forgotten what Gbajabiamila said on Hon Ajibade’s birthday? So they are just coming. This one is just a test. The next one they will do is the NDC.
“With the way they’re going, if Nigerians don’t shine their eyes when they will finally have this election, you will not have the major contenders in the ballot. This thing they have just done is to test reactions from Nigerians.
“I saw this thing coming. You know we are going into an election in which Atiku Abubakar is the only major candidate from the North. It’s not like the last one you have Kwankwaso that can split the Kano votes. And you have Peter Obi and general consensus that a lot of people are in abject penury, insecurity is raging hard.
“This is the beginning of many things. They are just testing the microphone. It’s engineered. More is coming. Nigerians, it is you that will save your democracy. Judicial reforms have become so important as insecurity in Nigeria.”
