The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set for its first significant electoral exercise under the newly enacted 2026 Electoral Act, with elections scheduled for Saturday, February 20, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and selected constituencies in Rivers and Kano states.
The polls will serve as an early test of the reformed electoral framework recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.
INEC will conduct Area Council elections across the Federal Capital Territory, alongside bye-elections in Rivers and Kano states. Observers see the exercise as a strategic preview of preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed that the FCT elections will involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units spread over the six Area Councils.
In Rivers State, bye-elections will be held in Ahoada East II and Khana II State constituencies, while Kano State will see contests in the Kano Municipal and Ungogo State constituencies.
A major feature of the 2026 Electoral Act is the legal backing given to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Election Results Viewing Portal (IReV), technologies aimed at enhancing transparency and credibility in the voting process.
Since INEC directly conducts only local government-level elections in the FCT, Saturday’s exercise is widely regarded as a litmus test for the commission’s readiness under the amended law.
Ahead of the elections, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, declared Friday a work-free day to enable residents travel to their respective communities to vote.
In a statement delivered through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike also announced a temporary restriction of movement across the territory.
Movement within the FCT will be restricted from 8:00 p.m. on February 20 to 6:00 p.m. on February 21, 2026, with security agencies directed to enforce compliance.
The minister urged residents to participate peacefully in the polls, stressing the importance of electing capable chairmen and councillors for the six Area Councils
