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Sep
Sep
INEC RELEASES FINAL LIST OF 17 CANDIDATES FOR 2026 FCT AREA COUNCIL ELECTIONS
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CapitalTimesNews / 2 months
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- 2 min read
The Independent National Electoral Commission has officially published the final list of seventeen candidates who will be contesting the 2026 Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections. The elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 12, 2026. This announcement was made by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Sam Olumekun, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja. The release of the final list follows the completion of the legally mandated period for the withdrawal and substitution of candidates. Mr. Olumekun emphasized the finality of the list, stating, “With the publication of this final list, no further withdrawal or replacement of candidates will be allowed, except in the unfortunate event of the death of a candidate or running mate before election day, as provided by Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act.” This final list comes after the commission had earlier published the personal details of candidates arising from various political parties’ primaries on August 18. Olumekun noted that seventeen political parties submitted their candidate details, known as Form EC9, by the August 11 deadline. He stated that the comprehensive list, which includes candidates’ political parties, age, gender, and academic qualifications, is available on INEC’s official website and social media channels for public review, underscoring the commission’s commitment to transparency. “The publication followed the conclusion of the statutory period for withdrawal and substitution of candidates as stipulated by law,” Olumekun stated, reaffirming INEC’s adherence to the electoral process. The list covers the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman, as well as Councillorship positions, for the six Area Councils of the FCT: Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.