Honourable National Commissioners,
Secretary to the Commission,
Resident Electoral Commissioners,
Members of the Executive Committee of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (FOSIECON)
The Acting DG of the Electoral Institute
Technical Aides to the Honourable Chairman
Directors and other Senior Officials of the Commission,
Members of the INEC Press Corps
Ladies and Gentlemen
1. I welcome you all to this important meeting, coming on the heels of the just-concluded Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the bye-elections in Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies of Kano State and in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of Rivers State. Let me begin by appreciating the Commission, particularly our colleagues in the FCT, Kano and River States, for the successful conduct of the election held on Saturday, 21st February 2026. The election was generally peaceful. Results were announced promptly, with the exception of Kuje Area Council, where the difficult terrain in Kabi Ward understandably delayed final collation until Sunday afternoon. As of 2:00 pm on Sunday, over 93% of polling unit results had been uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal, underscoring our commitment to transparency once again.
2. Voter apathy still manifested in the turnout, although with modest improvement in the FCT. From 9.4% in 2022, participation rose to approximately 15% in this election, with over 239,000 voters casting ballots, as against 148,685 in 2022. There is still considerable work to be done to deepen voter engagement and confidence.
Colleagues, every election is both a test and a teacher. The FCT Area Council election and the State Constituencies elections in Kano State and Rivers State have once again provided us with lessons, some reassuring, others sobering. This meeting affords us the opportunity to reflect honestly on our processes, identify areas requiring improvement and take decisive action as we prepare for the forthcoming Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, and ultimately the 2027 General Election.
3. Before I go further on the brief on the last election, let me warmly welcome the Executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (FOSIECON). Your presence here underscores the commitment we all share to the integrity and progress of our electoral processes throughout Nigeria. As we continue to navigate the complexities of our political landscape, it is vital that we strengthen the bonds between our commissions. Collaboration and open dialogue are essential as we strive to uphold the tenets of democracy and ensure that our elections are free, fair, and credible. I want to commend each of you for the hard work and dedication you bring to your roles. Your efforts at the state level are crucial in shaping the democratic experience of our citizens. Together, let us share best practices, address challenges, and harness innovative approaches that enhance our electoral systems. As we move forward, I encourage us to remain focused on our shared goals and to support one another in fostering an environment where every voice is heard and every vote counts.
Thank you for your commitment and partnership. I look forward to fruitful discussions today and the strengthening of our collaborative efforts in the future.
4. One of the issues that generated public commentary relates to so-called ‘voter migration’ in the FCT. Let me state clearly, as the Commission has already done publicly: no voter was migrated in 2026. The Commission’s Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units initiative was implemented in 2022. Nationwide, over 56,000 additional polling units were created, increasing the total from 119,972 to over 176,000. In order to populate the newly created units, many of which initially had zero registered voters, about 6.7 million voters were redistributed from approximately 12,000 congested polling units to new 17,000 less congested ones across the country in 2022.
5. In the FCT alone, 411 polling units were decongested, and about 580,000 voters were redistributed to 1,156 polling units. That exercise was carried out four years ago in 2022, not in 2026. The same voters in FCT voted in those polling units during the 2023 general election.
During the mock accreditation and election on 7th February in the FCT, several voters turned out, but they could not vote mainly because their polling units were not among the 289 out of 2822 selected for that exercise. However, we discovered that a few of the voters complained that their polling units were migrated in 2022, but they had difficulty in locating the new ones. I then directed that, for the benefit of those who did not vote in the 2023 General election and whose polling units were migrated in 2022, a fresh text message be sent to all those affected as a refresher to ensure that everyone willing to vote would locate their polling units with ease. The text messages/emails sent contained the Polling Unit Locator at https://cvr.inecnigeria.org/pu, which could help them locate the polling unit with ease. In addition, I directed that the voter register be displayed again at least 4 days in all the affected polling units so that voters could check their names ahead of the election in the FCT.
As is the practice of INEC, every polling unit with more than 1,250 registered voters was split into spill units or Voting Points within the same location/premises, resulting in the deployment of additional BVAS to reduce congestion. These voting points are located only a few metres away from the original polling units within the same premises, created solely to ease accreditation and voting, reduce overcrowding and improve voter experience. They do not alter a voter’s registration status. They do not move a voter to a different community. They are administrative mechanisms for efficiency.
6. Yet, despite widespread publicity, display of the Register of Voters and the deployment of text messages and emails to affected voters in the days preceding the election, some voters still experienced difficulties locating their polling units. This tells us something important. Our policies may be sound. Our intentions may be noble. But if citizens do not understand our processes, then the objective is only half achieved.
7. I therefore direct all Resident Electoral Commissioners to intensify voter education and sensitisation in your respective states. Voter awareness must not be episodic. It must be continuous. Citizens must be encouraged to verify their polling unit details well ahead of elections, including through the Commission’s online Polling Unit Locator at https://cvr.inecnigeria.org/pu. Where necessary, they should physically visit their polling locations before Election Day. We must begin to amplify this critical information now for the benefit of those who did not vote during the general election 2023 to locate their polling units ahead of time.
8. Another area that requires frank discussion is logistics and punctuality. According to our Election Operations Dashboard, only 45% of polling units in the FCT opened by 8:30 am. Although we achieved 100% by 10:00 am, the initial delay is unacceptable. Let me repeat what I said at my meeting with staff: there will be consequences for any act capable of sabotaging the process and 45% opening at 8:30 am is not satisfactory. It fell short of our standards. It undermines public confidence. And it will not be tolerated. We have identified some of the staff in Kuje Area Council and Kabusa Ward in the Municipal that caused logistic delay and I have directed that they should be queried. In addition, the transporter that caused some delay in Kwali Area Council will be blacklisted. We are still reviewing our transport logistics model for effective performance. On the whole, voting took place in all the polling units despite the initial delay and the election was successfully concluded in all the polling units.
9. We commend the generally peaceful conduct of the FCT election in all the polling units and in Kano and Rivers State constituencies. No violence was recorded during the voting exercise. We commend the security agencies for this feat. However, we must admit the ugly incident that occurred in Kuje Area Council, where the Kuje Central Collation Centre was invaded by thugs during collation and also at another Collation centre in Kwali Area Council. The ugly incident was squarely addressed, and the results were finally collated without much ado. You must continue to strengthen our engagement with security agencies and stakeholders in your state. Elections must be peaceful, not by accident, but by deliberate planning and coordination.
10. I must not fail to mention the improvement we have introduced in our result management system. We have identified that the greatest threat to our electoral process is not even the voting at the polling units but the actual collation of the results at several levels. We have introduced some safeguards to the BVAS system which is to curb all manner of manipulation on the results that will be transmitted to IREV. The Presiding Officer is required to- (i) capture and upload an image of the completed Form EC8A to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV); and also enter the scores of each political party directly into the BVAS device. The BVAS system performs internal validation checks to ensure:
The total votes entered do not exceed the number of accredited voters.
The figures entered are mathematically consistent.
Over-voting is automatically flagged and cannot be finalised.
This was tested during the FCT Area Council election and the Kano and Rivers States Constituencies elections. The results of the election were uploaded to IREV and were found to be correct. As we speak, an average of 97% of the results have been uploaded to IREV for the FCT Area Council election. We will soon embark on the review of our Regulations and Guidelines for the 2027 election.
11. Despite the above safeguards, we received complaints of result manipulation after the FCT Area Council election, especially the Kuroko Health Centre polling unit in Yangoji Ward, Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which was allged to have recorded 1,219 votes for a political party, despite having only 345 registered voters and 213 accredited voters during the Saturday Area Council election in the FCT. This result went so viral, and I must confess, I received several phone calls and media concern on it. I immediately summoned the FCT Supervisory Commissioner, the FCT REC and the FCT Administrative Secretary and requested an investigation.
After due investigation, it was found that discrepancies in the reported result were due to an error by the Presiding Officer while entering the score of the party. After sorting and counting the ballots, she recorded 122 for APC. On tallying everything, she noticed that there was an overshoot by one (1). So they had to recount the ballots in the open, that was when she realised that APC should be 121 not 122. So she cancelled the ‘2’ at the end and slotted in a ‘1’ in front of the cancelled ‘2’ to make it 121. She also corrected the figures in words. It was the correct and accurate result that was subsequently duly entered into the collation form EC8B at the Ward Collation. The outcome of the investigation necessitated the FCT REC to issue a Press Release on that incident and a few other cases where there were alterations.
Although there is no perfect election, I must make it clear to you all that Nigerians are looking to us with heightened anticipation and scrutiny, and I must emphasize that there is no room for error or excuse in this crucial process.
12. As Resident Electoral Commissioners, you are the Commission in your states. The buck stops with you. You must strengthen supervision, ensure early deployment of personnel and materials, and hold your Electoral Officers accountable. We cannot preach efficiency and practice excuses.
13. Similarly, reports of absenteeism and dereliction of duty, especially at our Local Government offices, have reached the Commission. Let me be clear: we will no longer tolerate indiscipline. Any staff who fails to report for duty, arrives late without justification, or otherwise sabotages the process will face sanctions in accordance with our regulations.
14. Colleagues, the road ahead is demanding. The Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun will further test our preparations. Beyond them lies the 2027 General Election, which will be even more complex in scale and logistics. We must approach these tasks with humility and resolve. Humility to acknowledge shortcomings. Resolve to correct them decisively.
15. Let us institutionalise post-election reviews in all states. Conduct honest internal audits. Examine logistics timelines. Review voter Sensitisation and education strategies. Assess staff performance. Identify gaps in communication. Where we find weaknesses, let us address them now, not on the eve of the election.
16. The credibility of the Commission is built not on declarations, but on performance. Each polling unit that opens late erodes trust. Each staff member who neglects duty diminishes our collective reputation. Conversely, each transparent upload to IReV, each peaceful polling environment, and each satisfied voter strengthen our democracy.
17. We have made progress. But progress is not perfection. As custodians of the electoral process, we must continually improve. That is our duty. That is our mandate. And that is our contribution to the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
18. I must not fail to inform you that we now have a new Electoral Act, 2026. We had on 13th February, 2026 issued a Notice of Election before the new Act was enacted. The Notice was issued under the old law. With the introduction of the new Electoral Act, we have to make some adjustments and issue a revised Timetable for the 2027 General Election.
19. Mention must also be made of our Voters Revalidation Exercise. The Commission will soon embark on a thorough clean-up with a view to further sanitising and strengthening the integrity of the register ahead of the 2027 General Election. This matter was thoroughly discussed at our Lagos retreat in January.
20. The second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise is still on-going. It commenced on 5th January 2026 and will run until 17th April 2026. The entire CVR exercise is scheduled to span one year and will be concluded on 30th August 2026.
21. I urge you all to return to your States with renewed commitment, heightened vigilance and a clear message to your staff: excellence is not optional; it is mandatory.
22. At this stage, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt congratulations to the newly appointed REC representing Abia State- Dr Chukwu Chukwuemeka Joseph. Your dedication, expertise, and commitment to upholding the democratic process have not gone unnoticed. You stand at the forefront of our electoral system, and with this mandate comes both responsibility and opportunity. As you embark on this second term, remember that your role is not just about overseeing elections but about fostering trust in our democracy. Embrace the challenges ahead with courage and integrity, knowing that you have the support of this commission and the hope of the citizens we serve. May you continue to inspire those around you and work diligently to ensure free, fair, and credible elections. Together, let us build a stronger foundation for democracy. Congratulations once again! Let’s move forward with purpose and determination.
23. Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission
25th February, 2026