FCT Council Election: BBYDI urges peaceful conduct, deploys 62 trained observers
Ahead of the February 21st FCT Area Council elections, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), through its citizen-led observation platform BallotEyes, has called on all political actors to commit to
Ahead of the February 21st FCT Area Council elections, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), through its citizen-led observation platform BallotEyes, has called on all political actors to commit to peaceful conduct before, during, and after the polls.
The Nation reports Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the elections in 2,822 polling units across 62 wards in the six area councils: Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.
Eligible voters across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will go to the polls to elect Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen, and Councillors in the six Area Councils, with 1,680,315 registered voters expected to exercise their civic rights.
In a statement, BBYDI said: "The 2026 FCT Area Council elections represent a critical moment for grassroots democracy. As the tier of government closest to citizens’ daily lives, these elections serve as a vital measure of Nigeria’s ability to deliver peaceful, transparent, and credible polls at the local level.
"With 570 candidates contesting 68 constituencies, the races are expected to be highly competitive, raising concerns regarding electoral security, voter protection, and public confidence.
"Understandably, residents of the FCT, civil society actors, and the broader democratic community have high expectations for these elections to consolidate democratic norms and strengthen trust in the ballot.
"The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, and candidates bear a shared responsibility to ensure the process reflects the will of the people while safeguarding lives and property.
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"We urge all stakeholders to reject violence, intimidation, vote-buying, and any practices that undermine democratic choice.
"Since September 2025, trained citizen observers have systematically monitored wards in all six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory.
"Using structured reporting tools, observers documented incidents, risk indicators, and contextual developments related to electoral tensions. Reports were submitted through secure digital channels and subjected to a multi-stage verification process to ensure consistency, accuracy, and neutrality.
"BallotEyes recognises that citizen-reported data may be influenced by reporting density and local visibility. Accordingly, the Index should be interpreted alongside on-ground realities and used as an early-warning tool to support peaceful electoral outcomes.
"BallotEyes urges security agencies and election managers to treat these findings as early-warning signals, prioritising preventive deployment, rapid response, and de-escalation, especially in identified high-risk locations.
"INEC has confirmed the deployment of 11,873 polling-unit officials. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be used in all units, with results expected to be uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time.
"BallotEyes calls on INEC to ensure timely polling unit openings and strict compliance with all electoral guidelines.
"On election day, BBYDI will deploy 62 trained and accredited voluntary citizen observers across all wards.
"A dedicated BallotEyes Situation Room will be activated to receive and verify real-time reports. We will share verified information with the public and relevant stakeholders to support transparency throughout the process.
"BBYDI reaffirms its commitment to objective, non-partisan observation. Through BallotEyes, we remain dedicated to protecting democratic values through evidence-based reporting."