1.5 Million Voters Ready to Decide FCT Election as Campaigns Wrap Up

Prior to the February 21, 2026, elections, more than 1.5 million voters have picked up their Permanent Voter Cards in the Federal Capital Territory’s six area councils, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In advance of the election, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, announced Friday, February 20, 2026, as a day off from work and restricted travel from 8 p.m. on Friday to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

To elect chairman and council members for the FCT’s six area councils, the electoral board set a date of February 21.

Political parties wrapped up their campaigns Thursday night, urging citizens to cast their ballots in all six FCT regional councils.

In order to choose chairmen and council members, voters in Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji, and Kwali will cast ballots in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Six chairmanships and 62 councillorships are among the 68 positions up for grabs.

As of the closing of collection on February 10, 2026, 1,680,315 voters were registered in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), according to a statement issued by Mr. Muhammad Haruka, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.

“Of this figure, 1,587,025 PVCs have been collected, representing an overall collection rate of 94.4 percent, while 93,290 PVCs remain uncollected,” the statement states.

An analysis of the data from the six local councils reveals a high PVC collection turnout.

According to the announcement, 75,517 PVCs—or 95.0% of the 79,471 registered voters—were collected in the Abaji Area Council.

Out of 295,711 registered voters, the Bwari Area Council reported that 276,360 PVCs were collected, or 93.5%.

Out of 208,057 registered voters, Gwagwalada Area Council reported 196,184 collected PVCs, or 94.3%, while Kuje Area Council reported 144,109 collected PVCs out of 148,286 registered voters, or 97.2%.

99,774 PVCs, or 93.1% of the 107,203 registered voters, were gathered by Kwali Area Council.

Of the 841,587 registered voters in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, 795,081 PVCs were collected, representing a collection rate of 94.5%.

A number of units registered collection rates above 99 percent at the Registration Area level, the commission stated, indicating what it called “strong grassroots engagement across the territory.”

“The commission commends voters in the FCT for their responsiveness and cooperation throughout the CVR and PVC collection exercises,” the statement read.

“Strong public readiness to participate in the electoral process is indicated by the impressive figures recorded across the area councils.”

Only legally registered voters with valid PVCs will be permitted to cast ballots on election day, INEC reaffirmed.

The statement also said, “The commission has made all the arrangements required to guarantee a free, fair, and credible election.”

Earlier Thursday, Wike encouraged citizens to cast their ballots in a special broadcast on national radio and television stations.

A press statement signed by Lere Olayinka, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, included his broadcast.

In order to facilitate smooth polling and enable citizens to travel to their areas, Wike announced the work-free day and movement restrictions, stating that they were authorized by President Bola Tinubu.

“With President Bola Tinubu’s consent, I hereby proclaim Friday, February 20, 2026, a day off from work so that citizens can travel to their different communities to take part in the elections.”

“In a similar vein, the President has authorized the restriction of movement within the FCT from Friday, February 20, at 8 p.m., to Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 6 p.m.

As a result, he stated, “all security agencies are directed to ensure strict compliance with this directive.”

Wike urged citizens to use their rights and take an active part in the election.

“I implore every resident of the FCT to speak up,” he continued. Vote for your preferred candidates on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

As a government, we hope that the elections will help produce leaders of this caliber who will make a significant contribution to the FCT’s growth, peace, and prosperity.

“Let’s work together to create a more promising future for our children, our region, and ourselves.”

“The election of chairmen and councillors for the six area councils is a momentous occasion, and I urge you to come out in your numbers to exercise your right to vote,” the minister continued.

“I implore you to vote with a feeling of duty and purpose.

“Let us exercise our democratic rights in a lawful and orderly manner. Let’s respect the election’s results, the regulations, and one another.

“We need to demonstrate to the world that we are an adult and responsible electorate that can behave with honor and decency.”

The minister said that the President’s signature of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 shown his dedication to bolstering democratic institutions and guaranteeing free, fair, and transparent elections.

Zadna Dantani, the PDP’s chairmanship candidate for the Abuja Municipal Area Council, withdrew from the campaign on Thursday ahead of the election.

He then announced his support for Christopher Makaleng, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Dantani’s choice was made less than twenty-four hours after Joshua Musa, the APC candidate, replaced Julius Adamu, the PDP’s nominee for leadership of the Bwari Area Council.

Speaking to fans, Dantani said Wike’s influence was the reason for his withdrawal.

“My name is Hon Zadna Dantani, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Abuja Municipal Area Council for Saturday’s Area Council elections,” Dantani stated in a video that the minister’s media assistant, Lere Olayinka, forwarded to our correspondent.

“I want to express my genuine gratitude to everyone who helped us, and we are doing this by God’s grace rather than out of selfish motivation.

As a candidate for this election, I am here to inform my people that, thanks to the intervention of our party’s leader and FCT leader, Nyesom Wike, who has called my attention to inform us that this is a brotherhood election, I have decided to run today. Additionally, I’m doing this to support President Bola Tinubu’s excellent actions.

He said the election was based on solidarity rather than competition.

“I write to respectfully inform you that I, Hon. Zadna Dantani of Gosa Village along Airport Road FCT Abuja, a member and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, have decided to voluntarily withdraw from contesting for the Chairmanship position of Abuja Municipal Area Council, in the forthcoming Area Council Elections which is scheduled to hold on February 21, 2026, after due other consideration and thorough consultation with my Family and relevant stakeholders,” Dantani wrote in a letter to INEC on February 18, 2026, which our correspondent.

SDP: Winners will be chosen by FCT citizens.

On Thursday, Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, emphasized that Wike has no control over the results of Saturday’s elections for the FCT Area Council.

He said this while promoting Obinna Simon, also known as MC Tagwaye, the SDP’s AMAC chairmanship candidate in Apo, Abuja. Simon is well-known for imitating the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Adebayo told supporters at his gathering site to oppose any effort to install leaders from outside the FCT.

We are the ones who will remain in this city, which God has given us and which is designated as our capital city in our constitution. Government will change.

“So, let’s elect Obinna Simon “MC Tagwaye” as our next AMAC chairman on Saturday by thumbprinting Doki the horse with our fingers,” he stated.

The former presidential contender also criticized President Bola Tinubu’s government and connected local governance problems in the Federal Capital Territory to larger national politics.