The Independent National Electoral Commission will on Saturday conduct the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections alongside bye-elections in Rivers and Kano states, marking its first major electoral exercise under the Electoral Act 2026.
The elections are expected to tests new Electoral Act provisions, especially the full implementation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the Election Results Viewing Portal, both aimed at improving transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), said the FCT elections would involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six Area Councils of the territory.
He also confirmed that bye-elections would be held 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.
Ahead of the polls, the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, declared Friday a work-free day and ordered a restriction of movement across the territory to ensure smooth conduct of the elections.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike said the directive was approved by President Bola Tinubu to enable residents travel to their communities to participate in the polls.
According to him, movement will be restricted from 8 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Saturday, while security agencies have been directed to enforce the order strictly.
Wike urged residents to approach the exercise peacefully and responsibly, stressing that the election of chairmen and councillors for the six Area Councils was a crucial step in strengthening grassroots governance.
Political observers said the exercise would further tests new Electoral Act mechanisms under real electoral conditions and serve as a rehearsal for the 2027 general elections.
They added that conducting elections simultaneously in the FCT, Rivers and Kano would significantly tests new Electoral Act innovations and the commission’s operational readiness.
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