The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a revised voter register for the Federal Capital Territory, showing a total of 1,680,315 registered voters ahead of the 21 February Area Council elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, INEC’s Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, said the register was formally presented to political parties during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja.
She said the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Malam Aminu Idris, described the revision of the register as a constitutional obligation and a critical step in the commission’s preparations for the elections.
Idris said INEC resumed Continuous Voter Registration nationwide on 18 August 2025, starting with online pre-registration and later physical registration from 29 September. In compliance with the Electoral Act, the CVR was suspended in the FCT on 12 October 2025 to allow the commission update the register ahead of the polls.
He explained that the revision process included biometric checks to remove duplicate entries, public display of the register for claims and objections, and the production of a supplementary list. The revised register, he said, replaces all previous voter registers for the FCT.
According to Idris, the number of registered voters increased from 1,570,307 in 2023 to 1,680,315, with full details provided to political parties.
He said INEC was progressing steadily with preparations for the election, which will determine six Area Council chairmen and 62 councillors. Activities already completed include monitoring party primaries, releasing final candidate lists, monitoring campaigns, receiving non-sensitive election materials, activating BVAS, voter education and coordination with security agencies through the ICCES.
The REC called on political parties to sustain peace and intensify voter mobilisation ahead of polling day. He also confirmed that PVCs for newly registered voters and those who requested transfers or corrections had arrived in the FCT, adding that collection dates would be announced shortly.
In a related development, INEC has resumed the Continuous Voter Registration exercise in Anambra State. The commission said the move would enable eligible voters to register, update their details, replace lost or damaged PVCs and transfer polling units in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
