By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the 2026 Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will hold on Saturday 21st February 2026 across the 68 constituencies to elect six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councilors.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu made the disclosure at the first regular consultative meeting with political parties held at INEC conference room, Abuja, on Wednesday.
He lamented that the cost of election has become so expensive as one bye election leads to several other bye elections. He called on all stakeholders to look for alternative ways to replacing candidates when a position is declared vacant so that the commission can concentrate on other things that make elections very seamless.
“Over the last nine years since 2016, the present Commission has been advocating for a more cost-effective alternative means of filling vacancies as is the case in many jurisdictions around the world. We have similarly been appealing to stakeholders, including political parties, to join the advocacy and for the National Assembly to amend the law accordingly. Just three weeks ago, we canvassed this position once again during the defence of our 2025 budget before the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives at the National Assembly. We are glad that more Nigerians are now joining the advocacy. We hope that working together, we will continue to reform and improve on our electoral process”.
On the FCT election, he continued, “The last Area Council election in the FCT was held on 12 February 2022. By the effluxion of time, the tenure of the current Chairmen and Councillors ends next year. Consequently, the Commission has approved that the 2026 Area Council election in FCT will hold on Saturday 21st February 2026. Voting will take place in all the designated Polling Units across the 68 constituencies to elect the six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councilors.
“In compliance with the mandatory legal requirements, the notice for the election will be published next month i.e. 26th February 2025. Party primaries will be held from 9th – 30th June 2025. The candidate nomination portal will open from 9.00am on 21st July 2025 to 6.00pm on 11th August 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September 2025. Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 24th September 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 19th February 2026”.
He said that the Commission is also set to conduct the Anambra State governorship election.
“The next activity is the conduct of primaries by political parties. May I remind leaders of political parties that primaries for the nomination of candidates for the Anambra State Governorship election begins in the next two months i.e. 20th March to 10th April 2025. You may similarly recall that at our last regular meeting, we agreed that you will forward your schedule of activities for the election to the Commission to enable us work together and plan better for the deployment of personnel and resources for the monitoring of your party primaries and campaign activities in order to avoid the last minute rush with the attendant inability to meet deadlines and unnecessarily dissipate our energy and lean resources. So far, only a few parties are in compliance. I urge those that have not done so to submit the details by the end of this week.
“Even as we prepare for the Anambra State Governorship election, we are always mindful of our responsibilities for other elections and electoral activities. For instance, Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 requires the Commission to issue the notice for elections not later than 360 days before the date of the election”.
Speaking on behalf of the political parties, chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle reminded INEC that Nigerians are looking unto the commission for a very credible polls in 2027.
“On its part, INEC as the regulatory body of political parties has conducted seven general elections from 1999 to 2023, aside numerous off-season elections, by-elections, re-run elections and supplementary elections. With remarkable reforms and steady development in the electoral process, so much is expected from the Commission in conducting free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections that meet international standards. Therefore, the preparation for the conduct of the eight general election in 2027 should commence immediately to enable the Commission put in place all requirements in due time and to meet the expectation of Nigerians”.
Present at the meeting were executives of all the political parties.
