The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled the revised Register of Voters for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), revealing a total of 1,680,315 registered voters as the February 21, 2026, Area Council Election approaches.
The presentation occurred on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, during a stakeholders’ meeting with political parties in Abuja. Malam Aminu Idris, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the FCT, emphasized that this exercise is a vital constitutional step in INEC’s preparations for the upcoming elections.
Idris recalled the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which began nationwide on August 18, 2025, commencing with online pre-registration followed by physical registration that started on September 29, 2025. He noted that, in accordance with Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act, 2022, the CVR was suspended in the FCT on October 12, 2025, to facilitate the revision of the voters’ register for the Area Council Election.
The revision process, conducted under Section 10(6) of the Electoral Act, included biometric deduplication, public display for claims and objections, and the compilation of a supplementary list. Idris confirmed that the revised register now supersedes all earlier versions.
The REC reported an increase in registered voters in the FCT from 1,570,307 in 2023 to the current total of 1,680,315, providing detailed statistics to political parties during the meeting.
In addition, Idris updated stakeholders on INEC’s preparedness for the February 21, 2026, elections, which will fill six chairmanship positions and 62 councillorship seats across the territory.
He outlined key activities undertaken by the Commission, including monitoring of party primaries, publication of final candidate lists, commencement of campaign monitoring, acquisition of non-sensitive election materials, activation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and enhanced voter education and engagement efforts. The REC also noted strengthened collaboration with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
Idris urged political parties and candidates to maintain the current peaceful atmosphere in the FCT and to increase efforts in voter mobilization as the election date approaches.
He further announced that Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for newly registered voters, as well as those who requested transfers or updates during the CVR exercise, have been delivered to the FCT. The Commission will provide details on the start date for PVC collection in the near future.
In a related update, INEC has resumed the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Anambra State.
The CVR exercise was suspended on July 20, 2025, to enable the Commission clean up the voters’ register, as well as produce and distribute Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the November 8, 2025, governorship election in the state.
The resumption of the CVR exercise at the Anambra State office and the 21 Local Government Area offices is expected to provide eligible voters the opportunity to register, update their records, apply for replacement of lost or damaged PVCs, and transfer their voting locations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
About the Author
