The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that results from the ongoing Area Council elections will be electronically transmitted to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), in line with existing electoral law.

The FCT Area Council elections cover the six area councils — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali — where chairmanship and councillorship positions are being contested.

Prof. Amupitan gave the assurance on Saturday while monitoring the elections across several polling units in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). He expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the polls, noting that the commission had taken deliberate steps to ensure transparency, efficiency, and credibility throughout the electoral process.

According to him, the electronic transmission of results remains a critical component of INEC’s commitment to deepening electoral integrity and public trust.

He explained that once votes are counted at the polling units, results will be uploaded to the IReV portal to allow citizens and stakeholders to view them in real time. The move, he said, is consistent with provisions of the Electoral Act and the commission’s guidelines.

“The votes of residents will count,” the INEC chairman assured, adding that the deployment of technology has significantly improved the credibility of elections in Nigeria.

Prof. Amupitan also highlighted the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), stating that the device has been functioning effectively across polling units visited. The BVAS, which is used for the accreditation of voters through fingerprint and facial recognition, has become central to INEC’s efforts to curb irregularities such as multiple voting and identity fraud.

He commended INEC officials and ad hoc staff for the timely distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, noting that early deployment contributed to the prompt commencement of voting in many locations. The chairman further observed that the process had been largely peaceful, with security agencies maintaining order and voters conducting themselves responsibly.

Prof. Amupitan, who assumed office as INEC chairman in October 2025, described the FCT polls as one of his first major electoral assignments since taking over leadership of the commission. His appointment came at a time when public confidence in electoral processes remains a key national concern, particularly following debates over result transmission and transparency in previous elections.

He emphasised that credible local government elections are vital to strengthening democratic governance at the grassroots level. According to him, a transparent and well-managed council poll in the FCT would further build confidence in the electoral system ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

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