By Mercy Peter
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that the splitting of polling units in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was carried out in February 2022 and not in preparation for the forthcoming February 21, 2026 Area Council elections.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Commission dismissed circulating claims suggesting that voters were recently migrated to new polling units ahead of the elections.
INEC stressed that no such migration occurred in 2026.
According to the Commission, the exercise formed part of its 2022 Expansion of Voters’ Access initiative, a nationwide reform designed to decongest overcrowded polling units and enhance voter experience. The initiative resulted in the creation of over 56,000 additional polling units across the country, increasing the total number from 119,972 to more than 176,000.
INEC explained that approximately 6.7 million voters were redistributed from about 12,000 congested polling units to 17,000 less crowded units nationwide during the exercise.
Providing details specific to the FCT, the Commission disclosed that 411 polling units were decongested, with roughly 580,000 voters spread across 1,156 units. It emphasized that the split polling units referenced in recent reports were established four years ago and remain within the same premises as the original units, located only a few metres apart.
INEC noted that the decongestion measure was aimed at easing voter accreditation, reducing overcrowding, and improving the overall voting experience, particularly in polling units with more than 1,250 registered voters.
The Commission also revealed that following a recent mock election in the FCT, it sent text messages and emails to affected voters between February 18 and 21, 2026, to assist them in confirming the locations of their designated polling units. It clarified that these notifications were strictly reminders and did not constitute any new voter migration.
INEC urged voters to verify their polling details using its online Polling Unit Locator and encouraged them, where possible, to visit their polling units prior to Election Day to avoid confusion.
Reaffirming its commitment to improving electoral service delivery, the Commission assured residents of the FCT of a transparent and efficient electoral process.
