INEC Announces Date for FCT Council Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced the date for the Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory. Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the announcement during the first quarterly meeting with political parties in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said that INEC is responsible for the Abuja Area Councils where, according to him, is the only part of the country it conducts local government elections, where there has never been a caretaker committee, irregularity of elections and where no one political party has ever won all the seats. He said “On 21st February, 2026 voting will take place in all the designated polling units across the 68 constituencies to elect six Area Council Chairman and 62 councilors in compliance with The mandatory legal requirements.

According to him, the notice for the election in the FCT will be published next month, that is on the 26th of February 2025 and Primaries will be held from 9th to 30th June 2025 adding that the candidate nomination portal will open from 9am on 21st July to 6pm on the 11th August, 2025.

The INEC chairman also revealed that the final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September, 2025 while Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 24 September, 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday, 19, February 2026.

He said the detailed timetable and schedule of activities for the election, as well as the list of constituencies and type of elections in the FCT, will be uploaded to the Commission’s website on Wednesday. He said the Commission will come up with plans for other routine activities, such as the continuous voter registration and the conduct of outstanding elections.