The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed the election for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils on February 21, 2026.
The INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced this at the first regular consultative meeting with political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Yakubu, voting will take place in all the designated Polling Units across the 68 constituencies to elect the six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councilors in the FCT.
He said the date was in line with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 which required the commission to issue the notice for elections not later than 360 days before the date of the election.
“This applies to the general as well as off-cycle elections. As you are aware, the commission is responsible for the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the only part of the country where INEC conducts local government elections.
“The last Area Council election in the FCT was held on 12 February 2022. By the effluxion of time, the tenure of the current Chairmen and Councillors ends next year.
“Consequently, the commission has approved that the 2026 Area Council election in FCT will hold on Saturday 21st February 2026. Voting will take place in all the designated Polling Units across the 68 constituencies to elect the six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councilors.
“In compliance with the mandatory legal requirements, the notice for the election will be published next month i.e. 26th February 2025. Party primaries will be held from 9th – 30th June 2025. The candidate nomination portal will open from 9.00am on 21st July 2025 to 6.00pm on 11th August 2025.
“The final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September 2025. Campaigns in public by political parties will commence on 24th September 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 19th February 2026.
“The detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election as well as the list of constituencies and type of elections in the FCT will be uploaded to our website before the end of this meeting,” Yakubu added.
He urged political parties that were yet to forward to INEC, their schedule of activities for the March/April primary election to select candidates for the forthcoming Anambra governorship polls to do so by the end of this week.
The chairman said in due course, the commission will come up with plans for other routine activities such as the resumption of nationwide Continuous Voter registration (CVR) and the conduct of outstanding bye-elections.
“Over the last one and a half years since the inauguration of the current National and State Assemblies in June 2023, vacancies have occurred in 23 constituencies as a result of death of serving members or their voluntary resignation for executive positions at Federal, State and even Local Government levels as Ministers, Commissioners, Chairman of a Local Government and even board appointment.
“While the Commission has conducted nine bye-elections early last year, 14 more vacancies have occurred since then. They are unpredictable, unbudgeted and difficult to plan in advance. Worse, some bye-elections lead to more bye-elections. There were situations where a bye-election in one Senatorial District was won by a serving member of the House of Representatives from the same District thereby creating another vacancy.
“In turn, a member of the State Assembly won the bye-election to the House of Representatives thereby creating a vacancy in the State Assembly. Consequently, one bye-election led to three bye-elections. Not only are these bye-elections costly, they also divert the Commission’s attention from its other extensive electoral responsibilities.
“Over the last nine years since 2016, the present Commission has been advocating for a more cost-effective alternative means of filling vacancies as is the case in many jurisdictions around the world. We have similarly been appealing to stakeholders, including political parties, to join the advocacy and for the National Assembly to amend the law accordingly,” he noted.
Giving insights into the commission’s misfortune last year, Yakub said: “sadly, in 2024 our State office in Benin City was flooded but we were able to recover ahead of the election. Elsewhere, two of our Local Government offices were attacked in incidents unrelated to elections or electoral activities.
“In Sankara, the headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, our office, along with other public buildings and private institutions in the area, was attacked during a local protest against insecurity.
“In Owa Oyibu, the headquarters of Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, our office was destroyed in a fire incident. The commission is glad that our staff were safe in the two locations. However, many electoral assets were lost and the buildings substantially damaged.”
In his remarks, chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle said the preparation for the conduct of the 2027 general election should commence immediately to enable INEC put in place all requirements in due time and to meet the expectation of Nigerians.
“While preparations for the Anambra State gubernatorial election are on, the Commission should also activate its Election Project Plan (EPP), Strategic Programme of Action (SPA), the 2022 – 2026 Strategic Plan and Strategic Plan Implementation Programme (SPIP) for the 2027 general election.
“To whom much is given much is expected, INEC should know that fellow compatriots count on it for transparent elections that will usher in visionary leaders who will transform the nation. The Commission should justify the confidence reposed in it, put its act together and improve on previous performance.
“Similarly, council urges the National Assembly to expedite action in the on-going Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments, as time is of the essence; as well as ensure diligent and speedy consideration and passage of the 2025 appropriation bill.
“We also urge citizens to be alive to their civic responsibilities and ensure that those they voted into office should give genuine account of their stewardship. Their performance will determine their fate in future elections,” he added.
