President Bola Tinubu has called on voters, security agencies, and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission to maintain order and professionalism during Saturday’s elections in the Federal Capital Territory, Rivers State, and Kano State.
The polls, scheduled for February 21, 2026, come shortly after the president signed the new Electoral Act into law. In a statement issued Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu encouraged eligible citizens to vote without fear, stressing that democracy flourishes in an atmosphere of peace, tolerance, and mutual respect.
He urged political parties, candidates, and their supporters to avoid violence, inflammatory rhetoric, and any conduct capable of undermining the credibility of the process. The president also warned against intimidation or heavy-handed actions that could disenfranchise voters, noting that security personnel are deployed to safeguard lives, property, and the integrity of the ballot.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting institutions responsible for delivering free, fair, and credible elections. He expressed confidence that residents of the affected areas would demonstrate strong civic responsibility and that the results would reflect the will of the people.
He further directed INEC to strengthen voter confidence through timely accreditation, smooth voting procedures, accurate collation, and prompt transmission of results in line with the new electoral law.
INEC will conduct elections across the six area councils of the FCT, with more than 1.6 million registered voters across over 2,800 polling units, alongside bye-elections in Rivers and Kano states. In Rivers, the polls will fill vacant seats in Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies. In Kano, voting will take place in Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies following the deaths of two state lawmakers.
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan said preparations have been largely completed, including deployment of materials, training of personnel, and configuration of voter accreditation devices. The commission has also accredited 83 domestic and five international observer groups.
Meanwhile, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike announced movement restrictions across the territory from 8:00 p.m. on February 20 to 6:00 p.m. on election day to help ensure a peaceful voting process.
