FCT Council Polls: INEC To Publish Candidates’ Biodata Monday

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it will publish the personal details of candidates for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, on Monday.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun disclosed this at the end of the Commission’s regular weekly meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Olumekun said the publication will be carried out by displaying copies of candidates’ Form EC9 along with all the accompanying academic credentials and other documents submitted by them, in all INEC offices in the six Area Councils of the FCT.

He further disclosed that the 17 political parties participating in the election nominated 637 candidates for the 68 seats comprising 6 chairmen and 62 Councillors.

“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.

“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,” Olumekun said.

The INEC Commissioner noted that 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 Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and listed as item 7 on the electoral body’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election.

Giving updates on the planned resumption of nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), Olumekun said, “The CVR will resume on Monday 18th August 2025 nationwide with the online pre-registration of voters. The physical or in-person registration will follow a week later at the 811 INEC State and Local Government offices across the country on Monday 25th August 2025.

“The list and locations of the centres, including dedicated telephone numbers for citizens in need of assistance can be obtained from our website and other online platforms. The active CVR Locator will also go live on Sunday 17th August 2025.”

During the CVR, Olumekun said citizens will also have the opportunity to transfer their registration within a state or to other states of the Federation.

Similarly, damaged or lost PVCs will be replaced as provided by law.

“It needs to be re-emphasied that the CVR is only open to Nigerian citizens who are 18 years or older and who have not registered before as double or multiple registration is a punishable offence under the law,” he said.