The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured voters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that polling for the Area Council elections will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m., as scheduled.

Samuel Bassey, Head of Voter Education and Publicity at FCT INEC, gave the assurance on Friday during an interview on Arise Television.

The FCT Area Council election is slated for February 21, 2026, with INEC reiterating its preparedness to conduct a free, fair, and credible exercise.

“I guarantee and assure FCT voters that the polls will commence at 8:30 a.m. as stipulated,” Bassey stated.

He explained that sensitive and non-sensitive materials, along with election personnel, were deployed overnight to polling locations to prevent any delays.

According to him, the proactive logistics arrangement is designed to ensure timely commencement of voting in line with the commission’s guidelines.

Bassey added that the measures put in place have largely addressed, if not completely eliminated, the issue of late commencement at polling units.