The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring adequate security and credible conduct of the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election, following a renewed collaboration with the National Peace Committee (NPC).
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, when members of the National Peace Committee visited the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The delegation met with the Chairman alongside National Commissioners, technical aides and senior management staff.
Describing the visit as timely, Prof. Amupitan noted that the Commission recently concluded consultations with major stakeholders, including security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations and the media, as part of preparations for the FCT poll.
He stressed that 2026 serves as a critical preparatory year for the 2027 General Election, underscoring the need for proactive measures to address emerging security concerns.
“We regard 2026 as our preparatory year for the 2027 General Election,” he said, adding that strategic partnerships are essential to creating a safe and credible electoral environment.
The INEC Chairman commended the National Peace Committee for establishing the Election Security Information (ESI) Hub, which provides data-driven analysis to support conflict prevention and electoral risk mitigation. He said the Committee’s identification of potential flashpoints in AMAC, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Bwari Area Councils would be carefully reviewed and incorporated into ongoing security coordination.
Prof. Amupitan acknowledged concerns over alleged threats among political actors, intra- and inter-party tensions, vote trading risks and broader security challenges in some communities. He assured that relevant intelligence would be shared with security agencies to enable preventive action.
“Just last week, we charged the Nigeria Police Force, the EFCC and the ICPC to be vigilant against vote buying and related offences,” he stated.
While noting that certain security details cannot be made public, the Chairman expressed readiness to strengthen confidential information-sharing mechanisms with the Committee. He also praised the Committee’s role in facilitating peace accords in previous elections, describing such efforts as reinforcing political actors’ commitment to non-violence and acceptance of results.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the Kukah Centre and Head of Secretariat of the National Peace Committee, Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo, conveyed the goodwill of the Committee’s Chairman, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.), and Convener, Bishop Hassan Kukah.
He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to supporting the FCT election, as well as upcoming governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun States and preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Rev. Fr. Barkindo disclosed that the ESI Hub, launched last year, has built nationwide networks to monitor insecurity, violence and conflict trends that could impact elections. He emphasised that the Committee’s interventions are guided strictly by data and evidence.
In her presentation, the Kukah Centre’s Project Manager, Ms. Asabe, described the FCT poll as a test case for 2027 preparations. She outlined key risk areas, noting that AMAC recorded a high number of security incidents and potential vote trading risks, while Gwagwalada faces indigene-settler tensions and party disputes.
Bwari was flagged for candidate legitimacy disputes and spillover security concerns from neighbouring states, while Kuje faces farmer-herder clashes, kidnapping cases, limited security presence in some communities and telecommunications challenges in remote areas.
She expressed optimism that with coordinated efforts among stakeholders, the FCT election would be conducted peacefully and credibly.
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