INEC Commits to Real-Time Transmission of FCT Council Election Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given its assurance that election results from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council polls will be sent from polling stations as they are generated.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), made this pledge on Tuesday following an assessment of the commission's preparedness across Kuje, Gwagwalada, and Bwari Area Councils for the elections slated for February 21, 2026.

Professor Amupitan highlighted that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been reliably used for voter accreditation and real-time result transmission since its inception, emphasizing that the commission maintains high standards.

"BVAS is capable of accrediting and also of uploading and transmitting the results. So definitely the results will be transmitted," he stated.

Expressing satisfaction with the state of readiness in the councils, Amupitan noted that Kuje Area Council reported 99.9 per cent preparedness, Gwagwalada was at 90.8 per cent, and Bwari indicated 100 per cent readiness.

"The report they gave us, I’ve verified that they are correct. In Kuje, they said they are 99.9% ready. In Gwagwalada, they said they are 90.8% ready. And in Bwari, they said they are 100% ready. So it means that there should be no excuse for any form of malfeasance. The election, it is hoped, will go very well," he commented.

He further confirmed that both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials had been prepared, inspected, and verified within storage facilities to confirm their readiness.

The INEC chairman underscored that the timeliness in deploying materials and ensuring adequate security are crucial for conducting credible elections. He instructed security personnel and polling officials to report to Registration Area Centres (RACs) on Friday to facilitate early deployment on election day.

"Set out early so that materials get to polling units on time and voting should start at 8.30am. If you start on time and manage the process well, you can conclude voting by 2.30pm, begin counting before darkness and upload results promptly," he advised.

Amupitan reiterated that all results are to be uploaded via the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), adding that recent system updates require results to be accurately entered and cross-checked at collation centres to guarantee their correctness.

He also addressed the issue of voter apathy, assuring that INEC would operate within legal frameworks to rebuild public trust in the electoral process.

"We want to do everything possible to meet the aspirations of Nigerians. They have the right to make demands, and we will perform our responsibilities to redeem confidence that is a little bit deficient," he remarked.

The Electoral Officers from the three area councils separately affirmed their readiness for the polls, lending further weight to INEC's commitment to delivering a transparent and credible election in the FCT.