The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to neutrality, professionalism and strict compliance with electoral laws ahead of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Amupitan gave the assurance during a readiness assessment tour of selected Area Councils in the FCT. He was accompanied by National Commissioners, aides to the chairman, directors of the commission, the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Aminu K. Idris, and the Administrative Secretary, Mrs Bimbo Oladunjoye.
According to a statement posted on INEC’s official X handle, the delegation visited Kuje, Gwagwalada and Bwari Area Councils. They were received by the respective Electoral Officers: Mr Yakubu Allawa (Kuje), Mr Bola Abdullahi (Gwagwalada) and Mrs Gloria Adebayo-Stephen (Bwari).
Addressing staff during the visits, the INEC chairman emphasised the institutional responsibility of the commission, noting that it derives its mandate from the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He reminded Electoral Officers that they represent the commission at the Area Council level and are directly accountable for its operations within their jurisdictions.
He further stressed that the conduct of elections must strictly comply with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC’s regulations and guidelines, urging officials to adhere fully to established procedures.
During the inspection, Electoral Officers in each council presented detailed briefings on their level of preparedness. These included updates on the distribution of election materials, activation of Registration Area Centres (RACs), deployment strategies, and coordination with security agencies.
In Bwari Area Council, Mrs Gloria Adebayo-Stephen presented a customised card signed by staff members as a gesture of solidarity and commitment to delivering a successful election. INEC described the act as a reflection of the staff’s collective resolve to uphold the commission’s guidelines.
Amupitan stated that the purpose of the visit was to verify preparedness and ensure that all logistics were in place for a smooth electoral exercise. He directed that election materials be delivered to the RACs on Friday ahead of polling day to guarantee timely deployment to polling units.
He also instructed that ad-hoc staff and security personnel report promptly to the RACs to facilitate early movement, adding that accreditation and voting are expected to commence at 8:30 a.m. on election day.
The FCT Area Council elections will hold across the territory on Saturday under the hashtag #FCTDecides2026.
