The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that 637 candidates will vie for 68 seats in the 2026 Federal Capital Territory Area Council election.
The figure, which includes six chairmanship and 62 councillorship positions across the six area councils, was confirmed in a statement on Thursday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.
According to the statement, 17 political parties submitted nominations ahead of the 6:00 p.m. deadline on Monday, August 11, 2025.
In line with the Electoral Act 2022, INEC will publish the personal particulars of all nominated candidates on Monday, August 18, 2025.
The documents, submitted via Form EC9, will include academic credentials and other supporting materials and will be displayed at INEC offices in all six area councils.
“Following the conclusion of party primaries for the Area Council election in the FCT, seventeen (17) political parties uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms by the deadline of 6:00 p.m. on Monday, 11th August 2025, when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.
“In line with the provision of Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission will on Monday, 18th August 2025, publish the personal particulars of candidates by displaying copies of their Form EC9 along with all the accompanying academic credentials and other documents submitted by them, in all our offices in the six area councils in the FCT.
“The 17 parties participating in the election nominated 637 candidates for the 68 seats (six chairmen and 62 councillors) in the FCT,” Olumekun explained.
The commission appealed to the public to scrutinise the documents.
He added that the final list of candidates will be released on September 22, 2025, in compliance with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act, which mandates publication at least 150 days before the election date.
“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by a candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.
“The final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September 2025, which is at least 150 days before the day of the election, in line with the provision of Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and listed as item 7 on our timetable and schedule of activities for the election,” the commission stated.
The FCT Area Council election is scheduled for February 21, 2026.
