FCT Poll: 1.5 Million Voters to Decide as Campaigns Conclude

More than 1.5 million voters have picked up their Permanent Voter Cards in the Federal Capital Territory’s six area councils in advance of the February 21, 2026, elections, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The announcement follows Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike’s declaration of Friday, February 20, 2026, as a day off from work and a limitation on mobility from Friday at 8 p.m. to Saturday at 6 p.m., in the run-up to the election.

The election of chairmen and council members for the six FCT region councils was scheduled for February 21 by the electoral board.

After wrapping up their campaigns on Thursday night, political parties urged citizens to actively cast their ballots in each of the six FCT local councils.

The election of chairman and council members will take place in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji, and Kwali.

There are six chairperson seats and sixty-two councillorship slots among the 68 positions up for grabs.

According to the commission’s announcement, which was signed by Mr. Muhammad Haruka, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, 1,680,315 voters were registered in the FCT as at the close of collecting on February 10, 2026.

“Out of this figure, 1,587,025 PVCs have been collected, representing an overall collection rate of 94.4 percent, while 93,290 PVCs remain uncollected,” the statement states.

Strong participation in PVC collection is demonstrated by a breakdown of the numbers for the six local councils.

75,517 PVCs were collected in Abaji Area Council out of 79,471 registered voters, according to the statement, which represents a 95.0% collection percentage.

Out of the 295,711 registered voters, the Bwari Area Council records 276,360 PVCs collected, or 93.5%.

Out of 208,057 registered voters, Gwagwalada Area Council reported 196,184 collected PVCs (94.3%), whereas Kuje Area Council reported 144,109 collected PVCs (97.2%) out of 148,286 registered voters.

Out of 107,203 registered voters, 99,774 PVCs, or 93.1% of the total, were collected by Kwali Area Council.

With 795,081 PVCs collected from 841,587 registered voters, the Abuja Municipal Area Council had a 94.5% collection rate.

Several units had collection rates above 99 percent at the Registration Area level, the commission stated, indicating what it called robust grassroots engagement throughout the territory.

“The commission commends voters in the FCT for their cooperation and responsiveness throughout the CVR and PVC collection exercises,” it said.

“The remarkable results obtained from all area councils demonstrate a high level of voter readiness to take part in the electoral process.”

On election day, INEC reaffirmed that only properly registered voters with valid PVCs would be permitted to cast ballots.

“All necessary arrangements have been made by the commission to guarantee a free, fair, and credible election,” the statement continued.

In a special broadcast earlier Thursday, Wike encouraged citizens to cast their ballots on national radio and television stations.

A press release signed by Lere Olayinka, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, included his broadcast.

Wike announced that President Bola Tinubu had authorized the work-free day and movement restrictions, which would allow citizens to travel to their localities and ensure a peaceful polling process.

“I hereby proclaim Friday, February 20, 2026, a day off from work with President Bola Tinubu’s consent to allow citizens to travel to their different villages and take part in the elections.

In a similar vein, travel within the FCT will be restricted from 8 p.m. on Friday, February 20, until 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026, with permission from the President.

He stated that all security agencies are instructed to make sure that this direction is strictly followed.

Residents were urged by Wike to utilize their rights and take an active part in the election.

“I implore all FCT residents to speak up,” he continued. Vote for the candidates you want to support on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

As an administration, we hope that the elections will help produce leaders of this caliber who will make a significant contribution to the FCT’s growth, peace, and prosperity.

“Let us work together to create a more promising future for our children, our region, and ourselves.”

“The election of either new or returning chairmen and council members 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,” the minister continued.

“I implore you to vote with urgency and accountability.

“Let us exercise our right to democracy in a lawful and orderly manner. Let’s honor the election’s results, the rules, and one another.

“The world needs to see that we are a responsible and mature electorate that can behave with honor and decency.”

The minister said that the President’s signature of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 demonstrated his dedication to establishing free, fair, and transparent elections and to bolstering democratic institutions.

On Thursday, Zadna Dantani, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for chairwoman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, announced her withdrawal from the race ahead of the poll.

He then announced that he was in favor of Christopher Makaleng, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Less than 24 hours had passed since Julius Adamu, the PDP’s candidate for chairmanship of the Bwari Area Council, resigned to make way for Joshua Musa, the APC’s nominee.

Dantani, speaking to supporters, blamed Wike’s involvement for his withdrawal.

“My name is Hon. Zadna Dantani, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Abuja Municipal Area Council for Saturday’s Area Council elections,” Dantani stated in a video dispatched to our correspondent by the minister’s media assistant, Lere Olayinka.

“I want to express my profound gratitude to everyone who helped us, and we are doing it by God’s grace rather than out of self-interest.

“As a candidate for this election, I am here to inform my people that I have decided to run today based on the intervention of the Honourable Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, who is both our party’s and FCT’s leader. He has called my attention to inform us that this is a brotherhood election.” I am also doing this action to support President Bola Tinubu’s good deeds.

Instead of antagonism, he said, the election was based on solidarity.

“I write to respectfully inform you that I, Hon. Zadna Dantani of Gosa Village along Airport Road FCT Abuja, a member and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, have decided to voluntarily withdraw from contesting for the Chairmanship position of Abuja Municipal Area Council, in the forthcoming Area Council Elections which is scheduled to hold on February 21st, 2026, after due other consideration and thorough consultation with my Family and relevant stakeholders,” Dantani wrote in a letter to INEC on February 18, 2026, which our correspondent.

SDP people in the FCT will choose the winners.

On Thursday, Social Democratic Party presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo emphasized that Wike has no control over the results of Saturday’s elections for the FCT Area Council.

He said so while promoting Obinna Simon, also known as MC Tagwaye, the SDP’s candidate for AMAC chairmanship and well-known for imitating the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, in Apo, Abuja.

At his gathering site, Adebayo spoke to fans and urged locals to oppose any attempt to install leaders from outside the FCT.

“We are the ones who will remain in this city, which God has given us and which is established in our constitution as our capital. Governments will change.

“Therefore, let us elect Obinna Simon “MC Tagwaye” as our next AMAC chairman on Saturday by thumbprinting Doki the horse with our fingers,” he stated.

Along with criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s government, the former presidential contender connected troubles with local governance in the Federal Capital Territory to larger national politics.