The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that the polling units referenced in recent discussions around the February 21 Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were created in 2022 and not ahead of the 2026 poll.
The Commission said in a statement that while the FCT election was conducted successfully, it observed that some voters encountered difficulties locating their designated polling units on Election Day.
However, INEC dismissed claims that voters were migrated to new or different polling units shortly before the election.
“The Commission states categorically that no voter was migrated in 2026,” the statement read.
INEC explained that under its Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units initiative in February 2022, it created over 56,000 additional polling units nationwide.
This increased the total number of polling units across Nigeria from 119,972 to more than 176,000.
To populate the newly created units — many of which initially had no registered voters — the Commission migrated 6.7 million voters from about 12,000 congested polling units to approximately 17,000 less congested ones across the country.
In the FCT specifically, 411 polling units were decongested, resulting in the redistribution of about 580,000 voters to 1,156 polling units.
INEC stressed that no fresh voter migration took place in 2026, noting that the split polling units being discussed were established four years ago.
For clarity, the Commission explained that split polling units are additional voting points and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices deployed within large polling units that have more than 1,250 registered voters.
The aim, INEC said, is to ease voter accreditation, fast-track voting, reduce overcrowding and improve the overall voting experience.
These split units are typically located only a few metres away from the original polling units and remain within the same premises. According to the Commission, the splitting did not alter voters’ registration status but merely redistributed them within the same location for administrative efficiency.
INEC also disclosed that during a mock election conducted in the FCT, it observed that some voters who were migrated during the 2022 exercise were still experiencing difficulties identifying their polling units.
As a result, targeted interventions were introduced. Text messages and emails were sent to affected voters between Wednesday, February 18, and Saturday, February 21, 2026, indicating the locations of their polling units.
The Commission emphasised that these notifications were strictly reminders intended to assist voters in identifying their designated voting points, not evidence of a new migration exercise.
To further support voters, INEC highlighted the availability of its online Polling Unit Locator portal, which allows voters to confirm their polling unit by selecting their state, local government area, registration area (ward) and polling unit.
The Commission urged voters to verify their polling details ahead of elections and, where possible, physically visit their polling locations before Election Day to avoid confusion.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to improving electoral service delivery and encouraged Nigerians to make full use of its verification platforms to ensure a smooth voting process.
