The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a categorical statement clarifying that no voter was migrated in 2026, contrary to claims in some quarters following the February 21 Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SADR.jpeg")
In a press statement signed by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, and dated February 24, 2026, the Commission stated that the split polling units referenced in recent discussions were created in February 2022 and not in 2026.
The statement explained that under INEC’s Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units initiative, the Commission in 2022 created over 56,000 additional polling units nationwide, increasing the total number of polling units from 119,972 to over 176,000.
In order to populate the newly created polling units, many of which had zero registered voters at the time, 6.7 million voters were migrated from about 12,000 congested polling units to approximately 17,000 less congested polling units across the country.
In the FCT specifically, 411 polling units were decongested, with about 580,000 voters redistributed to 1,156 polling units.
For clarity, the Commission explained that split polling units are additional voting points and BVAS devices deployed to ease voter accreditation and fast-track voting in large polling units with more than 1,250 registered voters.
The objective is to enhance orderliness, reduce overcrowding and improve the overall voting experience. These split units are located only a few metres away from the original polling units and remain within the same premises.
INEC further clarified that the splitting of polling units did not alter voters’ registration status, but merely redistributed voters within the same location for administrative efficiency.
While the election was conducted successfully, the Commission observed that some voters experienced difficulties locating their designated polling units on Election Day.
However, the Commission observed during the mock election in the FCT that many voters who were migrated in 2022 were still experiencing difficulties locating their polling units, necessitating targeted intervention.
Accordingly, text messages and emails were sent to affected voters on Wednesday 18th, Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st February 2026, indicating the locations of their polling units. These notifications were intended solely as reminders to assist voters in identifying their designated voting points.
To further assist voters, the Commission provides an online Polling Unit Locator available at https://cvr.inecnigeria.org/pu.
The Polling Unit Locator enables voters to confirm their polling unit by selecting their State, Local Government Area, Registration Area (Ward) and Polling Unit.
The Commission encourages voters to verify their polling details ahead of elections and, where possible, physically visit their polling locations prior to Election Day.
INEC reiterates its commitment to continuous improvement in electoral service delivery and urges voters to take advantage of all verification platforms provided in order to avoid unnecessary inconvenience.
The clarification comes following the February 21 FCT Area Council elections, which saw some voters expressing confusion about their polling unit locations, leading to speculation about last-minute voter migration.
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