By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: Because the solar units over the hills of Abuja on Saturday Feb-ruary 7, 2026, the political environment within the nation’s capital reached a fever pitch.
Earlier within the day, the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee INEC carried out a mock accreditation train, signalling its readiness for the Space Council Ballot in Abuja.
Information of the train shortly unfold, and politicians started to ramp up their campaigns which might finish 5 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 items to elect 62 councillors and 6 space council chairmen.
Whereas native elections in Nigeria have traditionally been overshadowed by the grandeur of basic polls, the 2026 FCT Space Council election is carrying a distinct weight.
Below the management of Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, the INEC is remodeling this native train right into a high-stakes litmus take a look at for the 2027 Common Election. From aggressive technological upgrades to a revamped voter register, the Fee is signaling that the period of experimental elections is over.
A reputable election begins with an correct database, and on January 14, 2026, INEC crossed a serious milestone by presenting the revised Register of Voters to stakeholders.
The figures inform a narrative of rising civic engagement, because the variety of registered voters within 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 Steady Voter Registration train that resumed in August 2025, the Fee utilized biometric deduplication to make sure the integrity of the listing.
Malam Idris informed political leaders that the revised register now supersedes all earlier registers, and he urged them to match INEC’s administrative readiness with intensified voter mobilization.
If the voter register is the muse, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS is the fortress. Reminiscences of technical glitches in previous elections have typically fueled skepticism, however Prof. Amupitan is set to alter the narrative.
On Saturday, February 7, the Fee carried out a mock election throughout chosen polling items within the territory to pressure-test the {hardware}.
Prof. Amupitan informed journalists whereas touring polling items in Abuja Municipal Space Council AMAC and Bwari that the Fee didn’t wish to use the principle election as a guinea pig.
He defined that the train was mainly to check operational preparedness and that the most important focus was the performance of the BVAS, which he described as a recreation changer for the Fee.
The Chairman was visibly glad because the upgraded units clocked accreditation speeds of between 5 seconds to 1 minute per voter.
To show the system’s resilience, a simulation was carried out the place a voter tried to be accredited twice, and the BVAS instantly flagged the try. Prof. Amupitan affirmed that with this know-how, there isn’t any means an individual could be accredited twice or vote twice.
Addressing the perennial drawback of community useless zones in rural communities, the Chairman revealed a realistic backup plan. He defined that the Fee has labored on all essential operational protocols and safety measures, together with provisions for presiding officers to make use of private hotspots in the event that they encounter web points. He added that the system is designed to routinely add outcomes to the IReV portal as soon as it detects a sign.
Administrative brilliance could be undone in minutes by safety breaches, and recognizing this, Prof. Amupitan has taken a proactive stance by the Inter-Company Consultative Committee on Election Safety ICCES.
Emboldened by the peaceable conduct of the Anambra State Governorship Election in late 2025, the Chairman is demanding a fair greater degree of coordination for the FCT.
He said in the course of the first common ICCES assembly of 2026 that elections can solely be credible when voters, election personnel and supplies are adequately protected.
Amupitan positioned a heavy burden of accountability on safety companies to make sure strict enforcement of the legislation, forestall the usage of political thugs, curb vote-buying and assure the security of voters and INEC officers on election day.
The Fee will quickly conclud the coaching of election safety personnel and is shifting delicate supplies beneath safe circumstances.
Nevertheless, the Chairman was blunt in his evaluation that no quantity of administrative readiness can substitute for efficient safety coordination.
He urged all companies to keep up fixed communication and fast response mechanisms, notably at recognized flashpoints throughout the six Space Councils.
Race in opposition to Voter Apathy
Regardless of these technological and logistical strides, the ghost of voter apathy nonetheless haunts the method.
Throughout the mock accreditation, the Chairman famous a lower-than-expected turnout, prompting a pointy reminder to the political class that whereas it’s the accountability of INEC to offer civic schooling, it’s the accountability of the political events to marketing campaign and mobilize folks.
Amupitan’s message to the residents of Abuja is certainly one of empowerment and foresight. He has framed the February 21 ballot not simply as a neighborhood alternative, however as a second of self-determination.
He urged Nigerians to acknowledge that they’ll vote as we speak and form their tomorrow, including that if folks wish to predict their tomorrow, they need to create it now.
Because the marketing campaign window prepares to shut on February 19, the FCT election stands as a beacon. By integrating enhanced accreditation protocols and securing the voter register, Prof. Amupitan is making an attempt to construct a template that may be scaled for the complete nation.
The Fee has concluded the batching of non-sensitive supplies and the coaching of ad-hoc employees, which started on February 6 and can conclude on the fifteenth.
All that continues to be is the human factor – the voters and the political actors. Prof. Amupitan’s INEC has laid the desk for a clear feast of democracy, and his confidence stays unwavering. He has cautioned in opposition to pointless pressure concerning legislative debates over the Electoral Act, insisting that the Fee will work with the present legislation whereas remaining versatile sufficient to regulate to any minor adjustments. The system is prepared, the know-how is confirmed, and the sport changer is in play.
Voter Statistics and electoral geography
The inspiration of the 2026 polls rests on a considerably expanded and cleaned voter database.
- Whole Registered Voters: 1,680,315 (a rise from 1,570,307 in 2023).
- Polling Models: 2,822 unfold throughout the territory.
- Seats to be Crammed: 68 (6 Chairmanship positions and 62 Councillorship seats).
- Geographic Scope: All six Space Councils (Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali, and Abaji).
Expertise: The BVAS Framework
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) stays the centerpiece of INEC’s “Sport Changer” technique for 2026. - Mock Accreditation: Carried out on February 7, 2026, throughout 289 chosen polling items.
- Accreditation Velocity: Verified at 5 seconds to 1 minute or much less per voter throughout stress checks.
- Safety Options: Enhanced biometric duplication and protocols to forestall double accreditation/voting.
- Connectivity Options: Deployment of private hotspots for Presiding Officers in “useless zones” and automatic offline-to-online knowledge synchronization for the IReV portal.
Key Timelines and Administrative Milestones
The street to February 21 has been marked by strict adherence to the constitutional and administrative work plan. - Steady Voter Registration (CVR): Resumed August 18, 2025; suspended October 12, 2025, for register revision.
- Last Listing Publication: Revised register introduced to political events on January 14, 2026.
- Coaching Window: Advert-hoc employees coaching commenced February 6 and concludes on February 15, 2026.
- Marketing campaign Deadline: All political campaigns should formally shut by Thursday, February 19, 2026.
- Election Day: Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Safety and Oversight
The Inter-Company Consultative Committee on Election Safety ICCES has been activated to handle potential flashpoints.
- Core Goal: Enforcement of legislation, prevention of political thuggery, and elimination of vote-buying.
- Coordination: Proactive intelligence sharing between the Nigeria Police Power and sister-agencies.
- Materials Safety: Non-sensitive supplies already deployed; delicate supplies to be delivered beneath high-security escort.
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