By George Mgbeleke

As the February 21, 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) draws close, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the media to intensify voter education, promote professionalism and uphold ethical standards in election coverage of election.

The call was made in Abuja on Tuesday, at a forum for media executives, producers, reporters and online personalities, organised by the Commission as part of its ongoing stakeholder engagement for the forthcoming election.

Speaking at the forum, the Supervising National Commissioner for the FCT and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Malam Mohammed Haruna, underscored the central role of the media in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy, stressing that voter participation and responsible reportage remain key to the credibility of elections.

He urged media organisations to use their platforms to educate and mobilise eligible voters, noting that effective election coverage requires not only a sound understanding of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC’s Rules and Guidelines, but also integrity, fairness and strict adherence to the Code of Conduct for Election Coverage.

Commissioner Haruna cautioned that while journalists, like all citizens, may hold personal views, such prejudices must never interfere with objective and professional reporting, adding that democracy thrives when the media places public interest above partisanship.

Providing an update on INEC’s preparedness, the National Commissioner disclosed that the Commission had successfully conducted 10 of the 13 key activities outlined in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election. He said the most recent milestone was the publication of the final Register of Voters on January 14, 2026, copies of which have been distributed to all political parties participating in the election.

According to him, the remaining activities are the publication of the Notice of Poll on February 7, the end of political party campaigns on February 19, and Election Day on February 21.

Malam Haruna also highlighted other critical preparations not listed in the timetable, including the accreditation of observers and journalists, which have been conducted online since the lead-up to the 2023 General Election as part of INEC’s technological innovations. While the observer accreditation portal has closed, he noted that the media accreditation portal remains open until February 8, urging media organisations yet to apply to do so promptly to enable timely issuance of accreditation cards.

On logistics, he revealed that the Commission had acquired virtually all non-sensitive materials required for the election and batched them according to the six Area Councils, 62 Wards and 2,822 Polling Units in the FCT. He added that sensitive materials, including ballot papers and result sheets, would be printed ahead of time and formally received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), FCT Branch, on February 18, in the presence of party agents, security agencies, civil society organisations and the media.

He further disclosed that adequate Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines were being configured and prepared for deployment to all polling units.

Commissioner Haruna explained that although FCT Area Council elections are similar to Local Government elections conducted by State Independent Electoral Commissions, Section 299 of the Constitution applies the Constitution to the FCT “as if it were one of the States of the Federation.”

“In practical terms, FCT Area Council elections are conducted like governorship elections,” he said, noting that the FCT’s voting population is larger than those of Bayelsa and Ekiti States. He added that the Territory’s status as the political capital of Nigeria naturally attracts national and international attention.

He stressed that as the first FCT Area Council Election since the Electoral Act extended council tenure from three to four years, the Commission was determined to leave no stone unturned to ensure a free, fair and credible poll.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the FCT, Malam Aminu Kasimu Idris, described the forum as a strategic platform for strengthening collaboration and aligning expectations between INEC and the media ahead of the elections.

He noted that public confidence in elections is shaped not only by how the process is conducted, but also by how it is reported and communicated, stressing that INEC’s commitment to a peaceful, transparent and inclusive election cannot be achieved without the support of a responsible and professional media.

The REC outlined the Commission’s level of preparedness, listing activities already undertaken, including the monitoring of party primaries, publication of final lists of candidates, campaign monitoring, delivery and batching of non-sensitive materials, activation of BVAS devices, stakeholder engagements, voter education and sensitisation, collaboration with security agencies, and the training of election security personnel.

He disclosed that INEC had approved the replacement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Igu Ward in Bwari Area Council following the demise of the initial candidate, Zachariah James Danbaki, with Danbaki Titus emerging as the replacement.

Malam Idris also announced that the Commission would conduct a mock accreditation exercise in 289 selected polling units across the six Area Councils to test election technologies, including BVAS accreditation, voting procedures and dummy result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. He called on the media to give the exercise wide publicity to ensure voter awareness and participation.

On voter statistics, the REC revealed that following the revision of the register, the total number of registered voters in the FCT now stands at 1,680,315. He added that INEC had approved the decongestion of large Registration Area Centres (RACs) in select wards of Bwari Area Council and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to enhance efficiency on Election Day.

He further clarified that elections would not hold in four polling units, hree in Garki Ward and one in Jiwa Ward, due to the absence of registered voters.

In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Ms. Grace Ike, commended INEC for convening the forum, describing it as timely in an era where misinformation spreads faster than facts.

She noted that elections are not only won or lost at polling units, but also in the information space, urging journalists to prioritise accuracy over speed, reject hate speech and incitement, ensure fairness and balance, and uphold professionalism in their coverage.

Ms. Ike also emphasised the importance of the safety and protection of journalists, calling on INEC, security agencies, political parties and their supporters to respect the media and guarantee the safety of reporters and their equipment before, during and after the elections.

She further called for sustained transparency and effective communication from INEC to counter rumours and fake results, noting that information gaps often fuel misinformation.