The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that over 1.58 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been collected in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
In a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC said the PVC collection exercise recorded an impressive turnout, signalling strong voter readiness.
As of the close of collection on February 10, 2026, the commission said 1,680,315 voters were registered in the FCT. Out of this figure, 1,587,025 PVCs had been collected — representing a 94.4 per cent collection rate — while 93,290 cards remain unclaimed.
Providing a breakdown by area councils, INEC disclosed that Abaji recorded 75,517 PVCs collected out of 79,471 registered voters (95.0 per cent). Bwari had 276,360 PVCs collected from 295,711 registered voters (93.5 per cent). Gwagwalada recorded 196,184 collections out of 208,057 registered voters (94.3 per cent).
Kuje posted the highest collection rate, with 144,109 PVCs collected from 148,286 registered voters (97.2 per cent). Kwali recorded 99,774 collections out of 107,203 registered voters (93.1 per cent). The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) had 795,081 PVCs collected from 841,587 registered voters, representing 94.5 per cent.
The commission noted that several Registration Areas achieved collection rates above 99 per cent, reflecting strong grassroots participation across the territory.
INEC commended residents for their cooperation during the Continuous Voter Registration and PVC collection exercises, saying the figures demonstrate a high level of civic preparedness.
The commission emphasised that only registered voters with valid PVCs will be eligible to vote on election day and assured that all logistics have been finalised to guarantee a free, fair and credible poll.
The FCT Area Council elections are the only local government elections in Nigeria conducted by INEC rather than state electoral bodies. Voters in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali will elect six chairmen and 62 councillors across 68 constituencies.
INEC also confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed at all polling units, with results transmitted electronically to the Result Viewing Portal. Movement restrictions will be in place from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on election day, while security agencies have announced widespread deployments. Campaigns officially ended at midnight on February 19.
