FCT: INEC Configures BVAS, Conducts Mock Accreditation In 289 Polling Units

…Plans Nationwide Voter Revalidation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to conduct a mock accreditation exercise on Saturday in 289 polling units across the Federal Capital Territory ahead of the area council elections scheduled for February 21.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this during the commission’s engagement with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on Friday in Abuja.

Amupitan said the commission has concluded key preparations for the FCT polls, including the delivery of non-sensitive materials and training of electoral officers and election security personnel.

He said BVAS devices were being configured ahead of the polls.

The polls will involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six FCT area councils.

The INEC boss described 2026 as a critical year that demands heightened security coordination, proactive intelligence gathering and seamless inter-agency collaboration to guarantee peaceful, credible and violence-free elections.

“2026 is a very busy electoral year,” he said, adding that the rising tempo of electoral activities places increased responsibility on security agencies to ensure that citizens can participate in the democratic process without fear.

Amupitan noted that the meeting marked his second engagement with ICCES since assuming office. He recalled that the first meeting held on October 28, 2025, with focuse on security preparations for the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election.

He commended security agencies for their professionalism during the Anambra gubernatorial election held on November 8, 2025, barely 15 days after he assumed office. He described the peaceful conduct of the poll as a major achievement given the state’s history of election-related security challenges.

Meanwhile, INEC will also conduct bye-elections in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies in Rivers State, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies in Kano State on Saturday.

Amupitan further revealed that preparations are underway for the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for June 20, 2026, and the Osun State governorship election slated for August 8, 2026.

He said plans were also underway for a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 general election.

In his remarks, the National Security Adviser and ICCES Co-Chair, Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Abdullahi Hassan, Director of Internal Security at the Office of the NSA, praised security and law enforcement agencies for their performance during the Anambra election.

He noted that the achievement was significant as the nation prepares for multiple electoral events in 2026 and beyond, including the FCT council elections, bye-elections in Rivers and Kano States, and off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

He assured that the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency for election security, in collaboration with other security agencies, is mobilising resources to prevent disruptions.

Adequate personnel, he said, will be deployed to polling units and high-risk areas, while politicians with violent tendencies will be identified and restrained in accordance with the law.

Also speaking, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by CP Abayomi Shogunle, reaffirmed the NPF’s commitment to massive deployment for all elections nationwide.

“The Nigerian Police Force will continue to deploy massively to ensure that elections are violence-free, peaceful and credible,” he said.