INEC Clarifies FCT Polling Unit Split, Says No Voter Migration in 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that no voters were migrated to new polling units ahead of the February 21, 2026 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), dismissing claims of last-minute changes.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Adedayo Oketola
CPS/Media Adviser to INEC Chairman the Commission explained that the confusion experienced by some voters in locating their polling units stemmed from a restructuring exercise carried out in 2022—not a recent development.
According to INEC, the splitting and redistribution of polling units were part of its Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units initiative implemented in February 2022. The exercise saw the creation of over 56,000 additional polling units nationwide, increasing the total from 119,972 to more than 176,000.
As part of that process, about 6.7 million voters were moved from roughly 12,000 congested polling units to 17,000 less crowded ones across the country. In the FCT alone, 411 polling units were decongested, with approximately 580,000 voters redistributed to 1,156 polling units.
INEC stressed that the “split polling units” referenced in recent discussions were introduced during that 2022 exercise and are designed to ease congestion. The Commission explained that these are simply additional voting points, equipped with BVAS devices, located a few metres from the original polling units within the same premises.
“The objective is to enhance orderliness, reduce overcrowding and improve the voting experience,” the statement noted, adding that the process did not alter voters’ registration status.
The Commission acknowledged that some voters—particularly those affected by the 2022 redistribution—still encountered difficulties identifying their polling locations during the recent election. To address this, INEC said it sent text messages and emails between February 18 and 21, 2026, to guide voters to their correct polling units.
It also urged citizens to verify their polling details ahead of elections using its online Polling Unit Locator and, where possible, visit their voting centres before Election Day.
INEC reiterated its commitment to improving electoral service delivery and encouraged voters to take advantage of available verification platforms to avoid unnecessary inconvenience.
