The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a nationwide voter revalidation exercise to clean up and strengthen Nigeria’s voters’ register ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Commission will also conduct a mock accreditation exercise for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections on Saturday, 7th February 2026.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, stated that the exercise aims to address issues such as duplicate, underage, or non-citizen registrations, deceased voters, and incomplete records.
He emphasised that a credible register is essential for free, fair, and transparent elections.
FCT Area Council
For the FCT Area Council Elections scheduled for 21st February 2026, 1,680,315 registered voters across six Area Councils will vote for 570 candidates contesting 68 positions.
A mock accreditation exercise will take place in 289 polling units on 7th February to test election readiness. INEC has also accredited 83 domestic and five foreign observer groups for the polls.
Professor Amupitan confirmed that bye-elections will hold simultaneously in selected constituencies in Rivers and Kano States.
He also provided updates on forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti (20th June 2026) and Osun (8th August 2026) States.
On Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), INEC registered 2,782,589 voters in the first phase (August–December 2025), with the second phase running from 5th January to 17th April 2026, concluding on 30th August 2026.
He urged FCT residents to collect their Permanent Voter Cards before the 10th February deadline and warned against double registration.
Professor Amupitan reiterated INEC’s commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration with stakeholders, while CSOs and media representatives pledged support for voter education, responsible reporting, and peaceful elections.