INEC fixes FCT council poll for February 21 2026

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed February 21, 2026 as the date for area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.

The INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, made the disclosure while speaking  at a consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja on Wednesday.

Yakubu said tenure of the current chairmen and councilors will end in 2026 as the election that brought them to office took place February 12, 2022.

He said that the notice for the election would be published on February 26, 2026 in line with the mandatory constitutional stipulations.

According to him, party primaries would be held from 9th to 30th of June, 2025,  while the candidate nomination portal will open from 9.00am on 21st July 2025 to 6.00pm on 11th August 2025.

The INEC boss added that the final list of candidates will be published on September 22, 2025, with  campaigns scheduled to commence on September 24 and to end at midnight on February 19, 2026.

He said, “Consequently, the commission has approved that the 2026 area council election in FCT will be held on Saturday 21st February 2026.

“Voting will take place in all the designated Polling Units across the 68 constituencies to elect the six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councilors.

“In compliance with the mandatory legal requirements, the notice for the election will be published next month i.e. 26th February 2025.

“Party primaries will be held from 9th – 30th June 2025. The candidate nomination portal will open from 9.00am on 21st July 2025 to 6.00pm on 11th August 2025.

The INEC chairman who also spoke on  the Anambra State governorship election fixed for  November 8, 2025, said that the next activity for the poll is  the conduct of primaries by participating political parties.

He reminded the leaders of the various parties that nomination of the candidates for the gubernatorial election in the state would commence on March 20 to April 20, 2025.

He advised the party leaders to forward their schedule of activities to enable the commission to plan effectively for the election.