The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has addressed concerns surrounding polling unit arrangements during the February 21 Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), firmly stating that no voters were migrated in 2026.
In a press statement released on February 24, 2026, INEC clarified that the split polling units currently being discussed were actually created in February 2022 under its nationwide Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units initiative.
According to the Commission, over 56,000 new polling units were established nationwide in 2022, increasing the total from 119,972 to over 176,000. As part of that exercise, 6.7 million voters were redistributed from about 12,000 overcrowded polling units to 17,000 less congested ones across the country.
Specifically in the FCT:
411 polling units were decongested
About 580,000 voters were redistributed
Voters were reassigned within 1,156 polling units
INEC emphasized that the split polling units are simply additional voting points and BVAS devices placed a few metres away from the original units within the same premises to reduce overcrowding and speed up accreditation and voting — not new locations.
The Commission also revealed that reminders were sent via text messages and emails to affected voters between February 18 and 21, 2026, to help them easily locate their polling units after some confusion was observed during the mock election.
INEC encouraged voters to verify their polling details ahead of elections using its online Polling Unit Locator and to physically confirm their voting points where possible to avoid inconvenience.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to improving electoral service delivery and ensuring a smoother voting experience for Nigerians.