INEC Releases Update On FCT Council Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the “Notice of Polls” for the Area Council Elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

In the notice released on Wednesday, INEC indicated that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be utilized during the elections, emphasizing that individuals must possess their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to participate in the voting process.

Naijaonpoint reports that the notice further informs the public that INEC will oversee elections in the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as detailed below:

Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM

Venue: All Polling Units within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Note that eligible voters shall vote at polling units where they are registered.

“Only persons whose names appear on the register of voters and have valid Permanent Voter Cards would be allowed to vote

“The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS shall be used. No PVC, no voting,” the notice added.

Meanwhile, former President Goodluck Jonathan has raised concerns over ghost voters in Nigeria’s electoral process, asserting that the country is not getting accurate vote counts during elections.

Speaking at the YIAGA Africa Reflection Conference on Democratic Elections in West Africa, held in Abuja, Jonathan stressed that Nigeria’s electoral system would continue to suffer a credibility crisis unless people of integrity are appointed to lead the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He urged electoral officials to resign rather than succumb to pressure to manipulate election results, stating, “We must have credible people. Political leaders who are so domineering will pressurise you to do what is wrong; you should be able to resign and leave.”

Jonathan noted that until only real human beings cast votes and their votes truly count, Nigeria’s electoral process would remain compromised.

“In Nigeria, you can’t get an accurate count of votes because I believe that we have too many ghost voters. If our systems of electing leaders are not fine-tuned to the level that the voter card will work, then what will be so great about democracy?” he queried.

He further criticized the regionalization of Nigeria’s electoral process, arguing that it negatively impacts free and fair elections.

According to him, religious and ethnic interests have infiltrated the system, making elections more about identity politics than competence.