FCT Poll: INEC seeks stakeholders’ synergy to enhance voters’ participation
SKAiF NewsNG SNN
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for effective synergy among stakeholders to ensure informed and non-violent participation of voters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Election scheduled for Feb. 21, 2026.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for FCT, Mallam Aminu Idris, made the call at the implementation meeting on voter enlightenment activities towards the FCT area council election, organised by the commission in Abuja on Wednesday.
Idris, represented by the Administrative Secretary, FCT INEC, Mrs Bimbo Oladunjoye, emphasised the need for stakeholders to see themselves as strategic partners in robust voter sensitisation and inclusivity in voter messaging and programming, and not as rivals.
He urged stakeholders to pool their resources to encourage informed and non-violent voter participation at the 2,822 polling units, 62 registration areas, and six area councils in the FCT.
Idris said that the implementation meeting signalled the official commencement of the commission’s voter education, sensitisation and inclusivity for the area council elections.
“This, no doubt, will provide the important bridgehead to anchor free, credible, inclusive and informative area council election through constructive voter engagement.
“Our cardinal objective at this meeting is to advance discussion on the commission’s approved voter education and inclusivity activities for the area council election, and the roadmap for their impactful implementations,” he said.
Listing the meeting participants, including heads of departments, electoral officers, assistant electoral officers (administration), and select election focal civil society organisations, Idris urged them to use their knowledge to drive voter sensitisation and electoral inclusivity.
He said that the stakeholders’ vast insight into voter demographics, as well as their diverse yet specific information needs, would prove valuable in the domestication of voter education and inclusivity messaging.
This, according to him, is important to meet the diverse information needs of different classes of voters and other election stakeholders in the FCT as the election gathers momentum.
“Against the backdrop of effective voter enlightenment and an inclusivity drive, our key performance indicators should reflect the following:
“How knowledgeable are the electorates to make informed choices, thus addressing void votes.
“How confident are the voters in the integrity of the process, their personal safety and security, to avoid disillusionment, self-help and violence.
“How aware are the persons with disability (PWD) voters of the electoral provisions made to support their independent participation to prevent apathy and sense of exclusion, and
“How well acquainted are the electorate with their electoral rights, responsibilities and benefits of participation to equip them to demand accountability from their political representatives?” Idris said.
In her remarks, the Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the FCT, Mrs Acharu Opaluwa, pledged the agency’s continued collaboration with INEC for credible and participatory elections.
Opaluwa, represented by Mrs Theresa Eze, the Deputy Director in charge of Civic, Values and Developmental Education, however, stressed the need for the agency’s community relations and mobilisation officers in the six area councils to be carried along in the voter education programme.
She said that this would enable them to directly disseminate voter education and sensitisation information to the voters at the grassroots.
INEC Director, Gender and Inclusivity Department, Mrs Lakunuya Bello, while presenting the overview of the meeting, said it aimed to ensure that everyone playing a role in voter education, gender and inclusivity programming and field mobilisation fully aligned with INEC’s approved activities for the election.
Bello said that while working ahead of the election was important, clarity at this stage would help stakeholders deliver the quality of voter engagement the FCT electorate deserved.
“This meeting will allow us to reflect on any operational considerations that may arise in the course of delivery and agree on practical approaches that will support smooth and effective execution across all area councils.
“Ultimately, our shared objective is to deepen public awareness, encourage meaningful participation and ensure that our interventions reach every community, women, men, young people and all groups whose voices strengthen our democracy,” she said.
Bello urged participants to engage openly and constructively, as they reviewed their collective understanding of the tasks ahead.
The post FCT Poll: INEC seeks stakeholders’ synergy to enhance voters’ participation appeared first on Vanguard News.
