• Wike’s influence reshapes FCT elections as PDP candidates endorse APC rivals
• Declares Friday work-free, imposes movement restriction ahead of FCT area council polls
• ADC upbeat, says poll a test of capacity credibility
• It is litmus test for INEC’s independence, says YIAGA Africa

IN 24 hours, all eyes will be focused on the Area Councils election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tests the newly signed legal framework, the Electoral Act 2026, recently assented to by President Bola Tinubu. Simultaneously, the Commission will also conduct by-elections in Rivers State for the Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies, as well as in Kano State for the Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies.

Already, INEC commenced the deployment of sensitive materials yesterday evening, following the receipt of all materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Abuja. The handover took place at the old CBN premises in Garki under heavy security, with representatives of political parties, civil society organisations, accredited observers, and journalists present to monitor the process. The retrieved materials include ballot papers, result sheets and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices.

Tomorrow’s polls represent a high-stakes test of both administrative efficiency and institutional integrity, just as political parties and civil society organisations have expressed mixed reactions, saying that voter apathy arising from the lack of real-time transmission of polling unit results may mar the exercise.
To ensure security, the FCT police command, alongside sister agencies comprising the Army, Navy, Civil Defence and Department of State Services, have completed massive deployment and personnel to provide adequate safety and security for the exercise.

This is just as opposition political parties taking part in the election dismissed the impact of the FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, on the outcome of the poll, saying that the people would express their rejection of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its unfeeling policies.
It would be recalled that in the 2023 presidential election, APC and its standard bearer, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, failed to garner the required 25 per cent of the total ballot cast in the FCT.

Stakeholders had remarked that Tinubu’s decision to appoint the former Rivers State governor, Wike, as the FCT Minister was intended to remedy the electoral result and enhance the APC’s chances in the next presidential contest.
But, as the FCT polls hold tomorrow, the Labour Party (LP), which won the majority of the FCT ballot three years ago with Peter Obi, is not on the ballot, while Obi’s new platform, the coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC), is among the front contenders challenging the incumbent APC.

ADC insists that the Council polls in the FCT would serve as a test of the integrity of the ballot and preparedness on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as well as provide insights into what the general elections will look like.

However, what appears as a challenge is the signals from INEC that electronic transmission of results may be skipped, which raises a red flag for the ADC and other opposition parties, particularly the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Wike’s influence hovers in the polity, as two chairmanship candidates of the PDP stepped down in separate councils to endorse candidates of the APC. These moves are widely seen as consolidating Wike’s political leverage in the territory despite his PDP affiliation.

In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), PDP candidate Zadna Dantani formally withdrew from the race and threw his weight behind the incumbent APC candidate, Christopher Zakka Maikalangu. A similar development unfolded in the Bwari Area Council, where PDP chairmanship candidate, Julius Adamu, stepped aside in favour of the APC flag-bearer, Joshua Ishaku Musa.

The twin withdrawals underscore Wike’s expanding political footprint in the FCT. Since assuming office as minister, he has cultivated cross-party alliances, a strategy that appears to be reshaping traditional partisan alignments in the territory.
Yiaga Africa predicts low turnout
Observers and civic society groups have intensified scrutiny of the preparations by INEC. Questions around logistics deployment, distribution of sensitive materials, functionality of the BVAS and security coordination have dominated discussions in Abuja.

While INEC has repeatedly assured residents of its readiness, stakeholders insist that the true measure of preparedness will be reflected in the seamless opening of polling units, adherence to guidelines and prompt transmission of results.

Amid these concerns, Yiaga Africa has projected that voter turnout may remain low, continuing a pattern observed in recent off-cycle and local government elections across the country.
The group attributed the anticipated apathy to declining public trust in the electoral process, economic pressures that limit citizens’ engagement, and what it described as weak grassroots mobilisation by political parties.
It warned that low participation could undermine the legitimacy of the councils to be elected, regardless of how peaceful or orderly the process turns out.

Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, described the polls as a critical litmus test for INEC’s institutional independence and operational efficiency. According to him, the commission must demonstrate impartiality, enforce compliance with electoral rules and ensure transparency at every stage.

“When you hear politicians say that if you don’t vote for a certain party, they are not going to be allowed to win the elections, you now ask the question, who is conducting this election? Is it INEC or politicians that are conducting this election?”

Also, the National Chairman, Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON), Mamman Eri, has called for the involvement of political parties to curb voter apathy. Eri, who doubles as the Chairman of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), spoke against the backdrop of concerns that voter apathy may mar the February 21 Area Council elections.

To curb voter apathy, he called on political parties to also get involved in educating voters, adding, “If you leave it to the electoral management bodies, it will not be too nice. The political party should be involved. The only time political parties are involved is when they campaign, and when you see their campaigns, they are full of warfare. Nothing like educating the citizen to come out and vote. So, if we have this robust engagement where the political parties will be so involved to go from one place to another, teaching people what to do, I think it will be better. It will help.”

On INEC’s preparation and credibility test

Saturday’s poll in FCT is not just another local government contest. Indeed, Abuja is unique as the seat of federal power, and the political environment surrounding its elections is highly turbo-charged. More so, recent statements from Wike that he would not support candidates against the President would show an intense political scrutiny on INEC.

Furthermore, INEC’s logistical burden is compounded by legal considerations. On Wednesday, President Tinubu signed the new Electoral Act 2026 into law, which is now the operative legal framework for elections in Nigeria, including Saturday’s FCT Area Council polls. This means INEC must conduct the election strictly in line with the provisions of the new law.

INEC also faces tangible operational hurdles. This is because the commission has to ensure that polling units will open on time, the BVAS functions reliably, results are transmitted seamlessly, and disputes are managed within legal frameworks are all critical. Stakeholders believe that any technical or logistical lapses, even minor ones, could erode public confidence in the election outcome.

Speaking during a recent stakeholder meeting, Amupitan said INEC will deploy 11,873 polling unit officials and 2,822 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices for Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
Amupitan said the election would involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six Area Councils of Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

According to him, 570 candidates are contesting 68 constituencies for the positions of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, as well as 62 councillorship seats comprising 10 wards each in five Area Councils and 12 wards in AMAC. He stated that 11,873 polling unit officials, including personnel for 195 split polling units, would be deployed across the Territory.

The INEC chairman said officials will be supported by 282 Supervisory Presiding Officers, 68 Local Government Area and Registration Area Supervisors and Monitors, 68 Registration Area Centre Managers, 208 technical support staff and 192 collation officers.
He revealed that the Commission conducted a mock accreditation exercise in 289 polling units across the FCT using the improved BVAS, describing the outcome as satisfactory.
Polling units, he said, are expected to open at 8:30 a.m. The INEC boss also said 89 domestic and foreign observer groups had been accredited to monitor the poll, while 700 journalists from 72 media organisations were cleared to cover the exercise.

Wike declares Friday work-free, imposes movement restriction
To ensure a hitch-free exercise, Wike has declared today a work-free day. In a special broadcast on national television and radio stations on Thursday, Wike also announced a restriction of human and vehicular movement in the FCT from 8 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Saturday. He urged residents of the FCT to come out in large numbers to vote for candidates of their choice.

“The election of either new or returning chairmen and councillors for the six area councils is a momentous occasion, and I urge you to come out in your numbers to exercise your right to vote. I urge you to go to the polls with a sense of purpose and responsibility. We must show the world that we are a mature and responsible electorate, capable of conducting ourselves with dignity and decorum.

“At this juncture, with the approval of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, I hereby declare Friday, February 20, 2026, as a work-free day to enable movement of residents to their various communities to participate in the elections. Similarly, the President has approved the restriction of movement within the FCT from 8 p.m. on Friday, February 20, to 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Consequently, all security agencies are directed to ensure strict compliance with this directive.”

He acknowledged that democracy remains an evolving process, noting that continuous review of the Electoral Act is essential to deepening Nigeria’s democratic culture.
“Our prayer, as an administration, is that the elections will facilitate the emergence of quality leaders who will contribute meaningfully to development, peace and prosperity in the FCT,” Wike stated.