By George Mgbeleke

As Residents of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) go out to cast their votes today for their preferred candidates,Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that FCT has recorded a 94.4 per cent collection rate of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the Area Council election scheduled for Today .

In a press statement issued by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, disclosed that as at the close of collection on 10th February 2026, a total of 1,680,315 voters are registered in the FCT.

Out of this figure, 1,587,025 PVCs have been collected, leaving 93,290 PVCs uncollected.

Providing a breakdown of the figures across the six Area Councils, Haruna described the performance as encouraging, noting that the impressive collection rate reflects strong voter responsiveness across the Territory.

According to him, Abaji Area Council recorded 75,517 collected PVCs out of 79,471 registered voters, representing 95.0 per cent. Bwari Area Council recorded 276,360 collected PVCs out of 295,711 registered voters, translating to 93.5 per cent.

Gwagwalada Area Council recorded 196,184 collected PVCs out of 208,057 registered voters, representing 94.3 per cent, while Kuje Area Council posted the highest collection rate with 144,109 PVCs collected out of 148,286 registered voters, representing 97.2 per cent.

Kwali Area Council recorded 99,774 collected PVCs out of 107,203 registered voters, representing 93.1 per cent. The Municipal Area Council, which has the largest voting population in the Territory, recorded 795,081 collected PVCs out of 841,587 registered voters, representing 94.5 per cent.

He further revealed that several Registration Areas recorded exceptionally high collection rates, with some exceeding 99 per cent, underscoring robust grassroots engagement.

The National Commissioner commended voters in the FCT for their cooperation during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and PVC collection exercises, noting that the figures indicate strong citizen readiness to participate in the electoral process.

The IVEC Chairman reiterated that only duly registered voters in possession of valid PVCs will be allowed to vote on Election Day, assuring residents that the Commission has concluded all necessary arrangements to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

By David Owei, Bayelsa

Tension is highly rising as the Ijaw National Congress general elections draw closer as many are of the opinion that the election might be compromised.

 Of course, Niger Delta Stakeholders are concerned that there may be some subtle manipulation to favour some aspirants as a stakeholder had complained during an interactive session which took place at the Ijaw House Yenagoa recently  that only one person had selected up to one hundred delegates that will take part in the election.

 Although, the outgoing INC leadership had revealed that the election will be conducted electronically but some persons are insinuating that the election may be manipulated through other means like through selection of delegates.

 It is said that the election will have about 600 delegates and already one hundred each from the three different zones had been selected.

 Recall that the election which will be taking place on the 7th of March, 2026, has about six aspirants who are Professor Erepamo Franklin Osaisai, Rear Admiral Geoffrey Yanga, Nengi James, Ebi Wodu, Kaiser Timi Ogoriba and Macdonald Igbadiwei.

 Already, tongues are beginning to wag as one of the candidates who wants to be the Vice President Felix Tuodolo had raised concern on why the consultant that will handle the electronic voting process should be exposed for all to see.

Also Engineer Charles Ambaowei former acting President, IYC, during the interactive session had asked why the outgoing president should be the one presiding over the interactive session meant for the delegates and the candidates instead of the electoral committee.

 Ambaowei said during the interactive session that the eleco should have handled everything.

 He explained: “Also, we are talking of delegates voting. You must also factor it in that not every delegate in Ijaw Nation may have the opportunity to vote because some people could be illiterates. They may not be conversant with electronics. Hoe are they going to be accommodated? He asked.

 “You, president, you shared the delegate slots  in your Western Zone and the clans went to their cocoons and generated the number that was apportioned to them and submitted to the zonal and that has now happened in the Eastern and Central Zones. The eleco should address these issues.

“Tell us how you procured the consultant. Is it the electoral committee or an individual him? The non -disclosure gives room for certain fears.”

Also another concerned stakeholder, Ibiba DonPedro , a renowned journalist and activist, at the weekend, asked that somebody with integrity should be allowed to take the driving seat the of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality.

She said:” Everyone in the race is an Ijaw man. Yet, even as a visible, well known journalist and media person, I’m taking a stand for Ijaw’s good. At least, three of the contenders are people I have known since 1996, in the trenches of Ijaw activism.

“I’m convinced that this contest is not a test of how long anyone has been in the ” Ijaw Struggle” for Justice and Resource control. Neither is it a fashion show to showcase Indian wrappers and Lord Lugard helmets.

“This election is a battle to retrieve Ijaw balls from the folds of cowardice and greed for small change powered by the visibility provided by the INC positions in a country, Nigeria.

“Anyone who wants to make money, should go find real business to engage in. The INC Presidency and other positions are too important to Ijaw salvation to be left as the circus it has become in the last decade. 

 Another concerned stakeholder who didn’t want his name mentioned, alleged a sinister plan to hand over power to the outgoing Secretary and treasurer wrote “Justice Tabai (Rtd) the Eleco Chairman is not always available so the Committee is alleged to be compromised.

“Only Governor Diri can save the situation according to my source. In fact, the election is already rigged via the Zonal Chairmen nomination of delegates. 

“For instance, it is said the Chairman of Eastern Zone single handedly nominated 100 delegates without any consultation. His benefactor gave him the list of delegates for adoption. 

 As the election draws closer, it is expected that the right thing should be done as all go to test their popularity.

By George Mgbeleke
 
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said President Bola Tinubu’s hasty assent to the controversial Electoral Act Amendment has corrupted Nigeria’s democracy and is akin to signing the death warrant of credible election in the country.
 
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the undue haste with which the president signed the bill into law even in the face of widespread objections by citizens across the country, declaring it as part of the ruling party’s elaborate scheme to rig the 2027 election.
 
The party declared that with this move, the APC has drawn the battle line between the ruling party and Nigerians and vowed to mobilise citizens to frustrate rigging by any means necessary.
 
 
The full statement read:
 
With the alarmingly speedy assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the death warrant on credible elections and by so doing set Nigeria’s democracy back by several decades.
 
At a time when Nigerians across generations and political affiliations are calling for stronger accountability and the full modernization of our electoral system, it is sad to see a president who likes to boast of his pro-democracy credentials hurriedly approving amendments that not only fail to improve citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.
 
In signing the bill into law, the President claimed to be consolidating the country’s democracy, but in reality, he has simply corrupted it further by introducing ambiguity and permitting excessive discretion in the collation and transmission process.
 
It is quite instructive that despite claiming to control more than 30 state governments and commanding a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, the extraordinary haste with which this amendment was passed and signed raises the unavoidable question of why a government that wrongly boasts about being so politically dominant would rush changes to the electoral framework unless it harbors deep-seethed doubts about submitting itself to a truly transparent and competitive process.
 
By refusing to slow down, listen, and meaningfully engage the concerns of Nigerians, President Tinubu and the APC-led National Assembly have shown that they are afraid of what the Nigerian people will do to them in a free and fair election, and they have reacted by demonstrating outright disregard for the very citizens whose mandate sustains their democratic authority.
 
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is also deeply concerned about what this amendment portends for Nigeria’s forthcoming elections. In the absence of firm guarantees of electronic transparency, vigilant citizens may feel compelled to physically safeguard their votes to prevent discrepancies between polling units and collation centres, as has been witnessed in the past. No government that is confident in its democratic mandate and cares about its citizens should place its people in a position that risks heightening tension during elections.
 
In this regard, the ADC wishes to pass the following message to all Nigerians, friends of Nigeria, and the world at large: 
 
As a duly constituted political party in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with the actions taken by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, 18th February, moving forward, the ADC affirms in the strongest and clearest possible terms that we are ready, willing, and prepared to defend the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy using every constitutional and lawful means available to us.
 
We will mobilize Nigerians toward vigilance, toward lawful participation, and toward unity in defense of their constitutional rights. We stand firm in the belief that the will of the people must prevail and that no law, however hastily enacted, can extinguish the democratic aspirations of a free nation.