INEC Publishes 1.68 Million Voters’ Register Ahead Of FCT Area Council Polls
With the countdown to the 2026 Area Council elections gathering pace, attention has shifted from campaign rhetoric to the numbers that will ultimately shape the outcome at the polls.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the revised Register of Voters for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), placing the total number of eligible voters at 1,680,315 ahead of the February 21, 2026, Area Council Election.
The register was presented on Wednesday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting with political parties, where the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Malam Aminu Idris, described the exercise as a key constitutional step in INEC’s preparations for the polls.
Idris explained that the increase in voter numbers followed the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in August 2025, which began with online pre-registration and was followed by physical registration nationwide.
He noted that the CVR was suspended in the FCT on October 12, 2025, in line with the Electoral Act, to allow for the revision of the voters’ register.
According to him, the revision process involved biometric de-duplication, public display for claims and objections, and the compilation of a supplementary list, with the newly published register now superseding all previous ones.
The updated figure represents a rise from the 1,570,307 voters recorded in 2023.
The REC also briefed stakeholders on INEC’s readiness for the elections, which will fill six chairmanship positions and 62 councillorship seats across the FCT.
He said the Commission has concluded party primaries monitoring, published final lists of candidates, commenced campaign monitoring, activated the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), intensified voter education and engagement, and strengthened collaboration with security agencies.
Idris urged political parties to maintain the prevailing peace in the FCT and step up voter mobilisation, adding that Permanent Voter Cards for newly registered voters and those who updated their records have arrived in the territory, with collection dates to be announced.
In a related development, INEC has resumed the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Anambra State following its suspension ahead of the November 2025 governorship election.
The resumption will allow eligible voters to register, update their details, replace lost or damaged PVCs, and transfer voting locations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
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