INEC Sets February 2026 Date for FCT Abuja Area Council Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Feb. 21, 2026, for the conduct of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during the commission’s first consultative meeting with political party leaders on Wednesday in Abuja.

Yakubu, who recalled that the last FCT area council election was held on Feb. 12, 2022, said that by the effluxion of time, the tenure of the current Chairmen and Councillors ends in 2026.

He said that voting would occur in all the designated Polling Units (PUs) 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. Feb. 26, 2025,” he said.

Yakubu said that primaries for the election will be held from June 9 to June 30, 2025, and the candidate nomination portal will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from July 21 to August 11.

“The final list of candidates will be published on Sept. 22, 2025. Campaigns in public by political parties will end at midnight of Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026,’’ he said.

The INEC boss added that the detailed timetable and schedule of activities for the election and the list of constituencies and types of elections in the FCT would be uploaded to the INEC website before the end of the meeting.

He also reminded political party leaders that the primaries for the Nov. 8 Anambra governorship election would be held from March 20 to April 10.

He advised political parties to forward their schedule of activities for the election to the commission before the end of the week.

According to Yakubu, this would enable INEC to plan the deployment of personnel and resources better to monitor party primaries and campaign activities.

Yakubu, who said that 2025 would be a busy year for INEC, noted that the commission would soon develop plans for other routine activities, such as the resumption of nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and the conduct of outstanding by-elections.

IPAC Calls For Citizen’s Engagement

In his remarks, the National Chairman Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Danielle, urged INEC in preparation for the Anambra governorship and 2027 general elections to immediately put in place requirements in due time.

Danielle also urged stakeholders to support INEC in discharging its statutory duties, which is essential to consolidating and strengthening Nigeria’s constitutional governance.

He said that stakeholders must continue to work together to ensure electoral integrity, the ballot box’s sanctity, and the people’s mandate.

“Similarly, the council urged the National Assembly to expedite action in the ongoing 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 a genuine account of their stewardship.

“Their performance will determine their fate in future elections,” Danielle said.

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