Jane Salihu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Peace Committee (NPC) have identified the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election as a critical test case for Nigeria’s 2027 General Election, flagging potential flashpoints, security threats and vote trading risks in key councils.
The Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during a strategic engagement with the National Peace Committee, stressing that 2026 marks a preparatory phase for the 2027 polls and that proactive security coordination is imperative.
“We regard 2026 as our preparatory year for the 2027 General Election,” Amupitan said, underscoring the need for intensified collaboration to prevent violence and safeguard electoral integrity.
He said that INEC would study evidence-based security reports from the Committee, particularly its identification of potential hotspots in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Gwagwalada, Kuje and Bwari, and integrate the findings into ongoing security planning.
Amupitan acknowledged concerns over political threats, inter- and intra-party disputes, and vote buying, noting that the Commission had recently charged the police, EFCC and ICPC to clamp down on electoral offences.
While noting that certain security details must remain confidential, he assured the Committee of strengthened information-sharing mechanisms to enhance preventive measures.
Earlier, the Executive Director of the Kukah Centre and Head of the NPC Secretariat, Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo, said the Committee’s Election Security Information Hub had established nationwide networks to monitor violence, insecurity and conflict patterns that could undermine elections.
He said the Committee would continue supporting the FCT election, forthcoming governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun, and preparations for the 2027 General Election.
In a technical briefing, Project Manager of the Kukah Centre, Ms. Asabe Ndahi, described the FCT election as a “mirror” for assessing Nigeria’s readiness for 2027, citing AMAC for high incident reports and vote trading risks, Gwagwalada for indigene-settler tensions, Bwari for candidate legitimacy disputes, and Kuje for kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes and security gaps in remote communities.
She expressed optimism that coordinated stakeholder action would ensure a peaceful and credible election.
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