A coalition of more than 70 civil society organisations (CSOs) advocating for credible elections in Nigeria has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the real-time upload of results from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
The group made the call in a preliminary statement on Friday, February 20, 2026.
The coalition, operating under the umbrella of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said it had identified areas it described as potential rigging hotspots and security risks across the FCT ahead of the polls. In the statement, the group raised concerns about voter safety and the integrity of the ballot.
According to the CSOs, the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) carries “high risks of vote buying and political intimidation,” especially in urban centres with intense competition.
The group also identified Gwagwalada for “potential indigene-settler tensions and the presence of political thuggery.”
The Situation Room urged INEC to demonstrate its commitment to transparency by ensuring the 100 per cent real-time upload of Form EC8A results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The group said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) must function optimally to avoid delays similar to those observed in previous local polls.
The statement noted concerns about historical patterns of voter apathy, citing past low turnout in FCT elections. It highlighted the 2022 Area Council polls in AMAC, where voter turnout was reportedly 5.09 per cent out of 1,373,492 registered voters.
The CSOs acknowledged the deployment of security personnel across the FCT for the election. They urged security agents to remain non-partisan and to ensure the protection of voters, observers, and INEC officials.
The group also encouraged eligible voters to exercise their civic duties peacefully and avoid vote buying, which it described as illegal.
The statement referred to public announcements by the FCT Minister declaring a work-free day on Friday, February 20, 2026, and a restriction of movement from 8 pm on Friday to 6 pm on Saturday.
The CSOs said the movement restriction announcement appeared to differ from the Nigeria Police Force’s usual election-day practice of restricting movement from 6 am to 6 pm on polling day, as outlined by the FCT Police Command.
The CSO statement was jointly signed by Mr. Yunusa Z. Ya’u, Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, and co-conveners Mma Odi and Celestine Odo.
The group urged all stakeholders to approach the election with responsibility and respect for democratic standards
