By: Mercy Peter
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed 21st February 2026 for the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory.
There are six Area Council in FCT- Abaji, Amac, Bwari, Kuje, Kwali and Gwagwalada.
Consequently, notice for the election will be published in the coming month 26th February 2025.
Party primaries has therefore been fixed for 9th – 30th June 2025.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this at the first quarterly consultative meeting with leadership of registered political parties in the country.
Yakubu said in accordance with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission is required to issue the notice for elections not later than 360 days before the date of the election. “This applies to the General as well as off-cycle elections. As you are aware, the Commission is responsible for the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the only part of the country where INEC conducts local government election.
“The last Area Council election in the FCT was held on 12 February 2022. By the effluxion of time, the tenure of the current Chairmen and Councillors ends next year. Consequently, the Commission has approved that the 2026 Area Council election in FCT will hold 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 final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September 2025. Campaigns in public by political parties will commence on 24th September 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 19th February 2026.
“The detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election as well as the list of constituencies and type of elections in the FCT will be uploaded to our website before the end of this meeting.
