More Than 1.58 Million PVCs Collected Ahead of FCT Council Elections — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that more than 1.58 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been distributed throughout the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in anticipation of the Area Council elections set for Saturday, February 21, 2026.

This update was provided in a statement by INEC's National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna. The commission noted that the PVC collection initiative experienced a significant turnout, exemplifying a robust readiness among voters for the upcoming polls.

As of the conclusion of the PVC collection on February 10, 2026, INEC reported that a total of 1,680,315 voters were registered in the FCT. From this number, 1,587,025 PVCs had been collected, representing a 94.4 percent collection rate, while 93,290 cards remain unpicked.

Breaking down the statistics for the six area councils, INEC stated that the Abaji Area Council saw 75,517 PVCs collected out of 79,471 registered voters, equating to a 95.0 percent collection rate.

In the Bwari Area Council, 276,360 PVCs were collected from 295,711 registered voters, resulting in a 93.5 percent collection rate. The Gwagwalada Area Council recorded 196,184 PVCs out of 208,057 registered voters, leading to a 94.3 percent rate. The Kuje Area Council achieved the highest collection, with 144,109 PVCs collected from 148,286 registered voters, translating to 97.2 percent. The Kwali Area Council recorded 99,774 PVCs from 107,203 registered voters, marking a 93.1 percent collection rate. Lastly, the Municipal Area Council (AMAC) reported 795,081 collected PVCs out of 841,587 registered voters, which corresponds to a 94.5 percent rate.

INEC further emphasized that several Registration Areas experienced collection rates surpassing 99 percent, highlighting strong community participation throughout the territory.

In its statement, INEC expressed appreciation for the cooperation of residents during the Continuous Voter Registration and PVC collection efforts, indicating that these figures showcase a high degree of citizen engagement.

The commission underscored that only properly registered voters possessing valid PVCs will be permitted to vote on Election Day, assuring that all necessary preparations are in place to facilitate a transparent, fair, and credible election process.

The FCT Area Council elections are distinct as they represent the only local government elections in Nigeria conducted directly by INEC, rather than through state electoral bodies.

Voters in the six councils—Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali—will be tasked with electing six chairpersons and 62 councillors across a total of 68 constituencies.

INEC has also confirmed the utilization of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) across all polling units, allowing results to be transmitted electronically to its Result Viewing Portal.

On the day of the elections, movement restrictions will be enforced from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., while security agencies have announced comprehensive deployments to maintain public order. Campaign activities officially ceased at midnight on February 19, just two days prior to the elections.