The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially announced the date for the Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the announcement on Tuesday during the commission’s first quarterly meeting with political parties in Abuja.
Prof. Yakubu emphasized that INEC has exclusive responsibility for conducting local government elections in the FCT, which is unique in Nigeria for its consistent elections without caretaker committees, irregularities, or a single political party dominating all seats.
According to the chairman, the election will take place on February 21, 2026, across all designated polling units in the FCT’s 68 constituencies. Voters will elect six Area Council Chairmen and 62 councilors in compliance with mandatory legal requirements.
Key Dates for the Election
Notice of Election: February 26, 2025
Party Primaries: June 9 – June 30, 2025
Candidate Nomination Portal: Opens July 21, 2025, at 9 a.m. and closes August 11, 2025, at 6 p.m.
Publication of Final Candidate List: September 22, 2025
Campaign Period: September 24, 2025 – February 19, 2026 (midnight)
Prof. Yakubu added that a detailed timetable and schedule of activities for the election, as well as a list of constituencies and election types, would be uploaded to the INEC website on Wednesday.
Additionally, he assured that the Commission would continue to implement plans for routine activities, including continuous voter registration and the conduct of outstanding elections.
