The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Peace Committee (NPC) have stepped up collaboration to bolster security and ensure a peaceful process ahead of the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election.
The renewed partnership was reaffirmed on Wednesday at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja when members of the Committee met with the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, alongside National Commissioners and senior officials of the Commission.
Receiving the delegation, Amupitan described the engagement as timely. He noted that INEC had recently concluded consultations with security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations and the media as part of preparations for the FCT polls.
He stressed that, beyond the council election, 2026 is pivotal for groundwork on the 2027 General Election, making early coordination on security issues essential.
“We regard 2026 as our preparatory year for the 2027 General Election,” the Chairman stated. “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.”
Amupitan commended the Committee for establishing an Election Security Information (ESI) Hub to complement institutional efforts to prevent conflict. He said its data-driven assessment of the FCT, including identified flashpoints in AMAC, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Bwari Area Councils, would be reviewed and integrated into security planning.
He acknowledged reported concerns, including political tensions, intra- and inter-party disputes, alleged threats among actors, and the risk of vote-buying. The Commission, he said, would continue liaising with security agencies to address emerging threats.
“Just last week, we charged the Nigeria Police Force, the EFCC and the ICPC to be on guard against vote buying and related offences,” he said. “The evidence-based information presented will guide necessary steps to enhance the integrity of the electoral process.”
While noting that certain operational details must remain confidential, the INEC Chairman signalled readiness to deepen structured information-sharing with the Committee to advance peaceful and credible elections.
He also referenced the Committee’s past role in brokering peace accords ahead of major elections, describing such interventions as a civic commitment mechanism that reinforces nonviolence and acceptance of the results.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the Kukah Centre and Head of Secretariat of the Committee, Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo, conveyed goodwill from former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), and Bishop Hassan Kukah.
Barkindo reaffirmed the Committee’s support for the FCT poll, the upcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, and preparations toward 2027.
He explained that the ESI Hub, launched last year, operates nationwide networks that gather and analyse data on insecurity, conflict patterns and election-related violence.
According to him, the approach ensures that the Committee’s interventions are guided by verified data rather than partisan considerations.
In a presentation, the Kukah Centre’s Project Manager, Ms Asabe, described the FCT election as a “mirror” for assessing readiness for the 2027 elections.
She said the ESI Hub has tracked election-related violence incidents and that the Electoral Offences Tracking System aligns with constitutional and legal provisions.
AMAC was identified as recording a high volume of reported incidents and potential vote-trading risks. Gwagwalada faces indigene-settler tensions and party disputes, while Bwari faces concerns about candidate legitimacy and security spillovers.
Kuje, she added, presents layered challenges, including farmer-herder clashes, kidnapping cases, limited security presence in some communities and telecom gaps in remote areas.
She expressed confidence that coordinated stakeholder efforts would ensure a peaceful and credible FCT election and urged sustained collaboration with INEC to share monitoring insights.
