- The Independent National Electoral Commission warned that it would not tolerate vote buying in the February 21, 2026 FCT area council elections
- INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan stated that over 1.6 million voters would participate across 2,822 polling units, with BVAS deployed and results uploaded to IReV for transparency
- Security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, were tasked with curbing vote buying and ensuring offenders faced prosecution
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that it will not tolerate vote buying in the February 21, 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, cautioned that anyone found culpable of electoral malpractice, particularly vote buying, would face prosecution.
He assured residents of the FCT that the forthcoming elections would be peaceful, transparent and credible.
According to INEC, more than 1.6 million registered voters are expected to participate in the polls across 2,822 polling units, with 570 candidates contesting for 68 seats.
Amupitan reiterated that elections are a shared responsibility, stressing that the commission has no preferred candidate in the contest.
He disclosed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be deployed in all polling units, while results would be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to enhance transparency.
“BVAS will be deployed in all polling units, with results uploaded to IReV. The Commission has accredited 89 observer groups and 700 journalists to monitor the process.
“Security agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), will be on the ground to curb vote buying and ensure safety. Perpetrators of vote buying will be prosecuted,” the statement read.
INEC urged voters and political actors to conduct themselves in accordance with electoral laws, emphasizing that credible elections depend on the collective commitment of all stakeholders.