The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured stakeholders that adequate measures are being put in place to ensure the security of the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory Area Council election.
Amupitan gave the assurance on Wednesday, February 11, while hosting members of the National Peace Committee at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The INEC chairman disclosed that the Commission had spent the preceding week holding extensive consultations with security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations, and the media to ensure a safe and credible electoral process.
He revealed that law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies had already been placed on alert to deal with electoral offences.
“Just last week, we charged the Nigeria Police Force, the EFCC and the ICPC to be on guard against vote buying and related offences,” Amupitan said.
The evidence-based information presented will guide necessary steps to enhance the integrity of the electoral process,” he added.
The chairman said the Commission was taking seriously the security concerns flagged by the National Peace Committee’s Election Security Information Hub, which has been monitoring violence and electoral risks across the FCT since June last year.
He noted that the committee’s identification of potential trouble spots in AMAC, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Bwari Area Councils would be carefully reviewed and incorporated into the Commission’s security arrangements.
Amupitan acknowledged that concerns had been raised about threats among political actors, intra-party and inter-party tensions, vote trading risks, and broader security challenges in certain communities.
He assured the delegation that all relevant intelligence would be passed on to security agencies for preventive and responsive action.
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While noting that certain security details would remain confidential, the chairman said the Commission was ready to strengthen its information-sharing channels with the Peace Committee to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
He also stressed that the FCT election carried significance beyond the immediate contest, describing 2026 as a critical preparatory period for the 2027 general elections.
“We regard 2026 as our preparatory year for the 2027 General Election,” Amupitan said. “The responsibility we share in maintaining peace and security during this period is paramount. With proactive and strategic partnership, we can create an environment conducive to safe and credible elections.”
The chairman recalled the Peace Committee’s track record in brokering peace accords before previous elections, including the Anambra governorship poll, and described such efforts as a social contract that holds political actors to their commitment to non-violence and respect for electoral outcomes.
Earlier, Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo, Executive Director of the Kukah Centre and head of the committee’s secretariat, conveyed the goodwill of former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Bishop Hassan Kukah.
He assured INEC of the committee’s full support for the FCT election and upcoming polls in Ekiti and Osun States.
A detailed presentation by the Kukah Centre’s Project Manager, Ms. Asabe, outlined specific security concerns across the FCT. AMAC was identified as having a high volume of reported incidents and vote trading risks.
Gwagwalada raised flags over indigene-settler tensions and party disputes.
Bwari faced concerns about candidate legitimacy and security spillovers from neighbouring states, while Kuje presented the most complex picture, with farmer-herder conflicts, kidnapping, limited security presence, and poor telecommunications coverage in remote areas.
Despite the challenges, Amupitan expressed confidence that with coordinated action among all stakeholders, the FCT election would be peaceful, secure, and credible.