₦airaland Forum

Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has warned that vote buying will not be tolerated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections scheduled for February 21.

Amupitan gave the assurance on Wednesday at a high-level stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, where he outlined the commission’s preparations for the polls and reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful, transparent and credible process.

According to him, more than 1.6 million registered voters are expected to participate in the election across 2,822 polling units, with 570 candidates vying for 68 elective positions in the six area councils.

He said the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) would be deployed in all polling units, while results would be uploaded in real time to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal to enhance transparency.

The INEC chairman noted that 89 observer groups and 700 journalists have been accredited to monitor the exercise, adding that multiple security agencies would be deployed to ensure order.

He specifically noted that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) would be on ground to deter vote trading and other electoral offences.

“Any individual found buying or selling votes will be apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law,” Amupitan said.

“Vote trading undermines the sanctity of the ballot and erodes public confidence in democratic institutions. It must not be tolerated.”

He added that 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles and 14 boats would be deployed to facilitate the movement of personnel and materials, stressing that there must be no logistical lapses on election day.

Polling units, he said, are expected to open at 8:30 am, following consultations with transport unions to guarantee timely distribution of materials.

Amupitan noted that INEC remains neutral in the contest.

“INEC does not have a political party and does not have a preferred candidate. Our mandate is clear: to provide the enabling environment for residents of the Federal Capital Territory to freely choose their representatives,” he said.

Amupitan called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully, while urging security agencies to remain professional and impartial throughout the exercise.

"I am the first politician to buy groundnut at Utako Market. If I become President, I will also buy gaari at Wuse market and sugar at garki market....."

— Peter Obi pic.twitter.com/vL5RafvOAi

— Hon Dim (@MbaAdol) February 13, 2026

SlavaUkraini:
https://www.thecable.ng/vote-buying-wont-be-tolerated-during-fct-polls-says-amupitan/

AqualinaXYZ:
This man lower your voice oo
You know your principal Tinubu doesn’t love or follow genuine process
Even though we know you’re capping but lower your voice
Tinubu can’t survive a day without stealing and forgery ooo

Quest7777:
You won't tolerate vote buying and yet you don't want to implement E-Transmission.
Dey play.

AqualinaXYZ:
This man lower your voice oo



You know your principal Tinubu doesn’t love or follow genuine process



Even though we know you’re capping but lower your voice



Tinubu can’t survive a day without stealing and forgery ooo

Greatex90:
In Rivers State,
What NYESOME WIKE did in 2023 was so terrible.
He was paying agents of other parties to accept change of elections' results in Favour of APC.

ONLY LP AGENTS ARE TRUSTWORTHY THEN.

Political parties should be wary this time. Most of your agents are corrupt.

Image123:
But we all saw the video of Obi buying groundnut and saying vote for us. We saw him with an Igbo woman (tribe politics). His exact words as they gave her money was, "Vote for us oh."

"I am the first politician to buy groundnut at Utako Market. If I become President, I will also buy gaari at Wuse market and sugar at garki market....."

— Peter Obi pic.twitter.com/vL5RafvOAi

— Hon Dim (@MbaAdol) February 13, 2026

Here's video evidence, but it's Obi na, let's not mention. Hypocrisy