By George Mgbeleke,Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has concluded plans to release the publication of Personal Particulars of Candidates for the FCT Area Council Election today.

This is even as the commission has within few hours of flagging off its CVR exercise a few hours ago recorded about 26,255 on its portal.

The release of particulars of candidates ahead of the FCT Area Council Election in February 2026 today (Monday),followed the conclusion of party primaries for the Area Council election in the FCT, where seventeen (17) Political Parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms by the deadline of 6.00pm on Monday 11th August 2025 when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.

“In line with the provision of Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission will on Monday 18th August 2025 publish the personal particulars of candidates by displaying copies of their Form EC9 along with all the accompanying academic credentials and other documents submitted by them, in all our offices in the six Area Councils in the FCT.

“The 17 parties participating in the election nominated 637 candidates for the 68 seats (6 Chairmen and 62 Councillors) in the FCT.

We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by a candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September 2025 which is at least 150 days before the day of the election in line with the provision of Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and listed as item 7 on our Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election”, it said.

The FCT Area Council election is scheduled for Saturday 21st February 2026.

Meanwhile, INEC on Monday commenced the nationwide CVR exercise, recording an impressive 26,255 hits on its dedicated portal, cvr.inecnigeria.org, within a few hours of launch.

The online pre-registration exercise, which officially started on August 18, 2025, allows eligible Nigerians to begin their voter registration process digitally before completing it at designated centres.

INEC announced that in-person registration will commence on Monday, August 25, 2025, across all 37 state offices and 774 Local Government Area LGA offices nationwide.

The CVR is open to new voters aged 18 and above, while existing voters can use the platform to collect or transfer their Permanent Voter Cards PVCs, replace lost or damaged cards, and update their information. INEC, however, cautioned against multiple registrations.

INEC encouraged Nigerians to take advantage of the exercise to strengthen the nation’s democratic process, noting that voter registration is a critical step toward ensuring credible elections.

The Commission can be reached via its official contact channels including the short code 4632, hotlines 09050858629, 09050858675, 09050858649, and email iccc@inec.gov.ng for inquiries or support.

INEC assured citizens that the exercise will be seamless and accessible, reiterating its commitment to making votes count and consolidating democracy.