THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timetable for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, scheduled to take place on February 21, 2026.
In a statement on Wednesday, the commission said that voting would commence at 8:30 a.m. across all polling units within the FCT, emphasising that the elections would cover the six area councils in the nation’s capital.
While urging voters to ensure they possess their PVCs to participate in the exercise, the commission confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) would be employed for the elections.
“Only eligible voters with valid Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and whose names are listed on the voter register will be permitted to vote,” said the commission.
The ICIR reported in 2024 that INEC said it would not conduct chairmanship elections for the six area councils in the FCT in 2025 due to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended).
According to the commission, instead of the three years specified by the Electoral Act of 2010, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) provides a four-year term for chairmen and other elected council members.
Yakubu said the current elected council leaders’ tenure would end in June 2026.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.