The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will conduct a mock accreditation exercise in selected polling units across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday, 7th February 2026, as part of preparations for the FCT Area Council elections scheduled for 21st February 2026.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the Commission’s first regular consultative meeting with media executives for the year. He said the mock accreditation would take place in 289 polling units across the six Area Councils—Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.
According to him, the exercise is designed to test the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), assess INEC’s operational readiness, and further strengthen public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the council polls.
“BVAS devices are being configured for voter accreditation and the upload of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). The mock accreditation on 7th February will allow us to fine-tune our processes and address any identified gaps before Election Day,” the INEC Chairman said.
Prof. Amupitan noted that non-sensitive materials had already been delivered and batched at Area Council levels, while sensitive materials would be deployed a day before the election. He added that the training of electoral officers, security personnel and ad hoc staff was ongoing to ensure a smooth and credible exercise.
The INEC Chairman used the forum to call on media organisations to play their constitutional role by providing accurate, fair and responsible coverage of the mock accreditation and the forthcoming elections.
“Elections are no longer contested only at the polling units; they are also contested in the information space. Misinformation, disinformation and deliberate distortion can undermine even the strongest electoral systems,” he warned.
He urged journalists to rely on INEC’s official communication channels for verified information and to help counter false narratives that could erode public trust in the electoral process.
“As our critical partners, we count on the media to promote credible reporting, especially during this period of intense electoral activities. Your role in informing the public objectively and responsibly cannot be overstated,” Amupitan said.
The INEC Chairman also reminded media organisations that accreditation for journalists wishing to cover the FCT Area Council elections was ongoing online and would close on 8th February 2026.
The FCT Area Council elections will involve over 1.6 million registered voters and 570 candidates contesting for chairmanship, vice-chairmanship and councillorship positions across the six Area Councils.