INEC, Security Agencies Brace for FCT Polls, Voter Revalidation, Critical 2026 Elections Ahead of 2027
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified preparations for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections slated for 21 February 2026, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Day Three of the Commission’s 2026 Regular Stakeholders’ Meeting with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), where he described 2026 as a crucial electoral year that demands enhanced security coordination, intelligence sharing and strong inter-agency collaboration.
According to Prof. Amupitan, the successful conduct of elections in 2026 will significantly shape preparations for the 2027 polls, stressing that electoral integrity largely depends on effective security arrangements before, during and after elections.
He revealed that major logistical and operational preparations for the FCT Area Council Elections have largely been concluded.
These include the deployment of non-sensitive election materials, training of electoral officials and security personnel, and the configuration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices to be used for accreditation.
The INEC Chairman also announced that a mock accreditation exercise is scheduled for 7 February 2026, noting that the exercise is aimed at testing the readiness of personnel, equipment and processes ahead of the polls.
Beyond the FCT elections, Prof. Amupitan disclosed that the Commission will conduct bye-elections in Rivers and Kano States, as well as off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States later in the year.
He added that INEC is also planning a nationwide voter revalidation exercise, designed to clean up and strengthen the voter register ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
He urged security agencies under ICCES to remain proactive, neutral and professional in carrying out their responsibilities, emphasizing that peaceful elections are a shared responsibility between INEC, security agencies, political actors and citizens.
Representatives of various security agencies at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to supporting INEC in delivering credible, peaceful and violence-free elections, pledging improved intelligence gathering, rapid response mechanisms and coordinated deployment during electoral activities.
The meeting ended with a renewed call for sustained collaboration among stakeholders, as INEC continues preparations to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the critical 2027 elections.
