Bola Tinubu has called for calm, orderly, and credible elections as residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rivers State, and Kano State head to the polls on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President urged voters, political parties, candidates, security agencies, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to uphold democratic principles and ensure a transparent electoral process.
Democracy Must Thrive in Peace
Tinubu encouraged all eligible voters to participate without fear, stressing that democracy thrives best in an atmosphere of peace, tolerance, and mutual respect. He warned against electoral violence, voter intimidation, inflammatory rhetoric, and any acts capable of undermining public confidence in the polls.
The President reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting free, fair, and credible elections, noting that security personnel are deployed solely to protect lives, property, and the integrity of the ballot.
Electoral Act 2026 and BVAS Reforms
The elections come days after Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law, introducing key electoral reforms. The legislation formally codifies the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and strengthens provisions for electronic transmission of results to INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal, while retaining manual collation as a fallback in areas with poor network coverage.
INEC confirmed that major preparations have been concluded, including training electoral officials, configuring BVAS devices, distributing non-sensitive materials, and accrediting 83 domestic and five foreign observer groups.
Key Poll Details
In the FCT, elections will hold across six area councils, with 1,680,315 registered voters in 2,822 polling units. Rivers State will conduct bye-elections in Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies, while Kano State will hold elections in Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has imposed movement restrictions from 8:00 p.m. February 20 to 6:00 p.m. February 21 to ensure a peaceful voting environment.
The polls are seen as a major test of Nigeria’s evolving electoral system and democratic consolidation.
