President Bola Tinubu has called on voters, security agencies, and electoral officials to maintain order and uphold the integrity of the electoral process ahead of Saturday’s elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rivers, and Kano states.
The polls, scheduled for February 21, 2026, come only days after the President signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu encouraged eligible voters to turn out in large numbers and exercise their civic rights without fear. He stressed that democracy flourishes in an atmosphere of calm, tolerance, and mutual respect.
The President urged political parties, candidates, and their supporters to shun violence, provocative remarks, and any actions capable of undermining the credibility of the elections. He also cautioned security personnel against intimidation or high-handedness, reminding them that their role is to protect lives, property, and the sanctity of the ballot.
“I assure you that the Federal Government under my administration will continue to support institutions responsible for delivering free, fair, and credible elections,” Tinubu said. He expressed confidence that the polls would reflect the will of the people and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Tinubu further tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with ensuring timely accreditation of voters, smooth voting procedures, accurate collation, and prompt transmission of results in line with the new Electoral Act.
INEC is set to conduct elections across the six area councils of the FCT, involving 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units. Bye-elections will also be held in Rivers and Kano states.
In Rivers State, elections will take place in the Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies to fill vacancies created by the resignation and death of lawmakers. In Kano State, polls will be conducted in Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies following the deaths of two members of the State House of Assembly.
Read Also;
Tinubu Signs Electoral Act 2026 Into Law, Opposition Kicks Against Amendment
The Electoral Act 2026 introduces key reforms, including the formal recognition of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and provisions for electronic transmission of results to INEC’s Result Viewing portal. However, it retains manual collation as a backup in areas with poor network coverage — a provision that has sparked public debate.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, said the commission has completed major preparations, including the distribution of non-sensitive materials, training of personnel, and configuration of BVAS devices. The commission has accredited 83 domestic and five foreign observer groups to monitor the elections.
Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has announced movement restrictions within the territory from 8:00 p.m. on February 20 to 6:00 p.m. on election day to help ensure a peaceful and orderly voting process.
