A claim the commission says is misplaced
The INEC FCT voter migration clarification followed public allegations that voters were relocated to different polling units shortly before the Federal Capital Territory area council elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Independent National Electoral Commission stated that no new voter migration was conducted in 2026.
According to the commission, references to split or redistributed polling units relate to an administrative exercise carried out in February 2022.
What happened in 2022
INEC recalled that it created more than 56,000 additional polling units nationwide in 2022, increasing the total number from 119,972 to over 176,000.
To populate the newly created units — many of which initially had zero registered voters — approximately 6.7 million voters were redistributed from about 12,000 congested polling units to roughly 17,000 less congested locations.
In the FCT alone, 411 polling units were decongested, with around 580,000 voters redistributed to 1,156 units.
The commission maintains that this redistribution did not alter voter registration status but was intended to improve administrative efficiency and reduce overcrowding.
Split units and BVAS deployment explained
INEC stated that the so-called “split polling units” referenced in recent debates are additional voting points within the same premises as the original polling units.
These splits, the commission said, are used in large polling units with more than 1,250 registered voters to ease accreditation and speed up voting using the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS).
The commission emphasised that these split units were introduced in 2022, not in 2026.
Why confusion resurfaced
Despite the commission’s explanation, INEC acknowledged that some voters experienced difficulty locating their designated polling units during the recent election.
It noted that many voters migrated in 2022 were still unfamiliar with their assigned units.
To mitigate confusion, INEC said it sent text messages and emails to affected voters between February 18 and February 21, 2026, reminding them of their designated polling locations.
The commission also encouraged voters to verify their details using its online Polling Unit Locator platform.
When administration meets perception
Election administration often operates through technical adjustments, but public perception can quickly transform routine logistical decisions into controversy.
The INEC FCT voter migration clarification attempts to draw a distinction between structural reforms introduced four years ago and allegations of last-minute electoral manipulation.
In tightly contested political environments, communication gaps can amplify suspicion even when administrative changes predate the event in question.
The credibility test ahead
As electoral competition intensifies, the burden on election management bodies to communicate clearly and proactively increases.
While INEC insists no fresh migration occurred in 2026, the durability of that clarification may depend on whether future electoral cycles proceed without similar confusion.
For now, the commission’s position remains firm: the redistribution happened in 2022 — not in the days leading up to the FCT polls.
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