The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially concluded the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, reporting a notable increase in voter participation despite logistical hurdles and initial confusion over polling unit locations.
The elections, held on Saturday, February 21, saw residents across the six Area Councils cast their votes for six Chairmanship positions and 62 Councillorship seats.
Voter Turnout and Participation
In a statement released following the conclusion of the exercise, INEC highlighted a positive shift in civic engagement. While voter apathy remains a concern for the commission, the 2026 polls saw over 239,210 voters turn out, representing approximately 15% of the 1,680,315 total registered voters in the FCT.
This marks a significant improvement from the 2022 elections, which saw a meager 9.4% turnout.
“The participation recorded across the six Area Councils is indicative of citizens’ continued trust in building democracy and the electoral system,” stated Wilfred Ifogah, Acting Director of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP).
Clarification on Polling Unit Migration
Addressing social media reports and complaints from voters who struggled to find their voting points, the Commission debunked claims that voters were migrated to new locations without notice.
The Commission explained that it created split polling units in areas where registration exceeded 1,250 voters to reduce congestion. These units were situated within the same premises or only a few meters away from the original points.
To ensure a smooth process, INEC confirmed that the Register of Voters was displayed four days prior to the election, automated reminders via text and email were sent to affected voters between February 18 and February 21, and all polling units were confirmed fully operational by 10:00 am on election day.
Result Transparency and the IReV Portal
In a push for transparency, INEC reported that as of 2:00 pm on Sunday, February 22, the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal had reached 93%.
While most results were announced late Saturday, the final declaration for the Kuje Area Council was delayed until 3:30 pm on Sunday. Officials attributed this delay to the difficult terrain of the Kabi ward, which slowed the physical transportation of materials for final collation.
Operational Success
Despite the geographic challenges in Kuje, the Commission commended the residents of the FCT for their peaceful conduct and cooperation. The Election Operations Dashboard indicated that while only 45% of units opened by 8:30 am, the deployment was stabilized shortly thereafter, ensuring all registered citizens had the opportunity to vote.
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