The head of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, has cautioned political actors against vote trading ahead of Saturday’s Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory. He gave the warning during a stakeholders meeting in Abuja involving political parties, security agencies, and civil society groups
Amupitan said the commission is prepared to conduct a free, fair, and transparent election on February 21, 2026.
He said the commission does not have a preferred candidate.
He warned that vote buying and any act that undermines the integrity of the process will not be tolerated.
He disclosed that more than 1.6 million registered voters are expected to participate across 2,822 polling units.
He said 570 candidates are contesting for 68 seats in the six area councils.
Amupitan added that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System will be deployed in all polling units.
He said results will be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing portal to enhance transparency.
The commission has accredited 89 observer groups and 700 journalists to monitor the exercise.
He said security agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission will be deployed to deter vote trading and maintain order.
