INEC conducts first elections under the 2026 Electoral Act with FCT Area Council polls and bye-elections in Rivers and Kano states on February 20, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to hold its first major election under the newly enacted 2026 Electoral Act on Saturday, February 20, 2026, across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and selected constituencies in Rivers and Kano states.
Also read: SDP’s Adebayo Slams Tinubu Over Electoral Act Stance
The elections will test the reformed electoral framework recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, serving as a strategic preview for the 2027 general elections.
INEC will conduct Area Council elections across the FCT, alongside bye-elections in Rivers State (Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies) and Kano State (Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies).
According to INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, the FCT elections will involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in six Area Councils.
A key feature of the 2026 Electoral Act is the legal backing for the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Election Results Viewing Portal (IReV), technologies designed to improve transparency and credibility in voting.
Since INEC directly oversees only local government-level elections in the FCT, Saturday’s exercise is viewed as a litmus test for the commission’s readiness under the amended law.
Ahead of the polls, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike declared Friday a work-free day to allow residents to travel to their communities to vote.
He also announced a temporary restriction of movement from 8:00 p.m. on February 20 to 6:00 p.m. on February 21, 2026, enforced by security agencies.
Also read: SDP’s Adebayo Slams Tinubu Over Electoral Act Stance
Wike urged residents to vote peacefully, highlighting the importance of electing capable chairmen and councillors for the FCT’s six Area Councils.
