The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled February 21, 2026, for elections in the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
This was disclosed by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a consultative meeting with political party leaders in Abuja.
Prof. Yakubu noted that the FCT is the only region in Nigeria where INEC directly conducts local government elections, as opposed to other states where state election commissions handle local elections.
He explained that the decision aligns with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires election notices to be issued no later than 360 days before the polls. Accordingly, the notice for the FCT elections will be published on February 26, 2025.
The tenure of the current chairmen and councillors in the six area councils is set to expire in June 2026. The last Area Council elections were held on February 12, 2022. Prof. Yakubu confirmed that elections would take place in all designated polling units across the 68 constituencies to elect six council chairmen and 62 councillors.
In addition, Yakubu outlined the timeline for political parties to hold primaries, scheduled between June 9 and June 30, 2025. He also highlighted plans for routine electoral activities, including resuming nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and addressing outstanding bye-elections.
The INEC chairman addressed challenges posed by bye-elections, noting that vacancies have arisen in 23 constituencies since June 2023 due to resignations or deaths.
While nine bye-elections were held last year, 14 vacancies remain, some of which stem from cascading elections where one vacancy leads to another. “Not only are these bye-elections costly, but they also divert the commission’s attention from its broader responsibilities,” Yakubu said.
