Abuja | Kabido News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on media organisations to intensify voter education, uphold professionalism, and ensure responsible election coverage as the February 21, 2026, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections draw closer.
The call was made on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, in Abuja during a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Commission for media executives, reporters, producers, and on-air personalities as part of preparations for the forthcoming polls.
Speaking at the forum, the Supervising National Commissioner for the FCT and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Malam Mohammed Haruna, described the media as a critical pillar in safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic process.
He urged journalists to use their platforms to educate and mobilise eligible voters, stressing that credible election reporting requires a strong understanding of the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC’s guidelines, alongside strict adherence to ethical standards and the Code of Conduct for Election Coverage.
Malam Haruna cautioned against partisan reporting, noting that while journalists may hold personal views, such opinions must not interfere with objective and professional reportage.
Providing an update on INEC’s preparedness, the National Commissioner disclosed that the Commission had completed 10 of the 13 key activities outlined in the election timetable. He said the final Register of Voters was published on January 14, 2026, and distributed to all participating political parties.
According to him, the remaining activities include the publication of the Notice of Poll on February 7, the conclusion of political party campaigns on February 19, and Election Day on February 21.
He also revealed that the accreditation of journalists and observers is being conducted online, in line with INEC’s technological innovations introduced ahead of the 2023 General Election. While the observer accreditation portal has closed, he noted that the media accreditation portal remains open until February 8, urging media organisations yet to apply to do so promptly.
On logistics, Malam Haruna said INEC had procured and batched nearly all non-sensitive materials for deployment across the six Area Councils, 62 Wards, and 2,822 Polling Units in the FCT. He added that sensitive materials, including ballot papers and result sheets, would be printed and formally received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), FCT Branch, on February 18, in the presence of stakeholders.
He further disclosed that adequate Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines are being configured and prepared for deployment.
The Commissioner explained that although Area Council elections are similar to Local Government elections conducted by State Independent Electoral Commissions, Section 299 of the Constitution applies the Constitution to the FCT as if it were a state.
“In practical terms, FCT Area Council elections are conducted like governorship elections,” he said, noting that the FCT has a larger voting population than some states and naturally attracts national and international attention.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the FCT, Malam Aminu Kasimu Idris, described the forum as a strategic engagement to strengthen collaboration between INEC and the media.
He said public confidence in elections depends not only on how they are conducted but also on how they are reported, stressing that INEC’s commitment to a transparent and credible process requires the support of a responsible media.
The REC listed several preparatory activities already completed, including the monitoring of party primaries, publication of final candidate lists, campaign monitoring, batching of non-sensitive materials, voter education, stakeholder engagements, collaboration with security agencies, and the training of election security personnel.
He disclosed that INEC had approved the replacement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Igu Ward in Bwari Area Council following the death of the initial candidate, Zachariah James Danbaki, with Danbaki Titus emerging as the replacement.
Malam Idris also announced plans for a mock accreditation exercise in 289 selected polling units across the six Area Councils to test BVAS accreditation, voting procedures, and result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. He urged the media to give the exercise wide publicity.
On voter statistics, he revealed that the total number of registered voters in the FCT now stands at 1,680,315, following the revision of the voters’ register. He added that INEC had approved the decongestion of large Registration Area Centres (RACs) in selected wards of Bwari Area Council and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
He further clarified that elections will not hold in four polling units three in Garki Ward and one in Jiwa Ward due to the absence of registered voters.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Ms. Grace Ike, commended INEC for organising the forum, describing it as timely amid the growing spread of misinformation.
She urged journalists to prioritise accuracy over speed, reject hate speech and incitement, and maintain fairness and balance in their coverage. She also called for the protection of journalists and their equipment before, during, and after the elections, urging security agencies, political actors, and supporters to respect the media.
Ms. Ike further called for sustained transparency and effective communication from INEC to counter rumours and fake results, noting that information gaps often fuel misinformation.