By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to conduct a mock accreditation and results upload exercise ahead of the February 21, 2026, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.

In a statement signed by INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for the FCT, the electoral umpire said the mock exercise will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2026, in 289 selected polling units between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

According to the commission, the exercise is aimed at ensuring a hitch-free Area Council election by testing accreditation procedures and the results upload process.

INEC encouraged voters in the affected polling units to turn out with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the mock exercise, noting that their participation would help fine-tune preparations for the main election.

The commission said that the list of designated polling units for the mock exercise is available on its official website.

INEC also assured residents of the FCT of its readiness to conduct a credible and successful Area Council election on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced the replacement of Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, with former Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, as Chairman of its National Convention Central Coordination Committee ahead of the party’s convention scheduled for March 27 and 28, 2026.

The decision was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, and posted on the party’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

Basiru stated that the reconstitution followed “further consultation with the leadership and national stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

According to the statement, “the Central Coordination Committee for the 2026 National Convention has been reconstituted. Sub-committees of the Central Coordination Committee will be constituted and announced in due course.”

Under the revised structure, Uzodimma, who was initially appointed as the committee chairman, has now been reassigned as Treasurer. The party also expanded the membership of the committee from 73 to 90, bringing in additional senior figures, including Senator Barry Mpigi and other notable party stalwarts.

Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim was named Vice Chairman I, while Kwara State governor and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, will serve as Vice Chairman II. Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, was retained as Secretary of the committee.

The leadership changes came just days after the APC had unveiled Uzodimma as head of the initial 73-member committee, signaling a renewed drive toward ensuring a smooth and inclusive convention process that will produce new members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

The Kano State Government has stepped up efforts to boost civic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections, setting a target of at least four million newly registered voters across the state’s 44 local government areas.

The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists in Kano on the state’s ongoing voter mobilisation and registration efforts.

According to him, 267,790 eligible residents have successfully completed their voter registration between August 2025 and date and are currently awaiting the collection of their Permanent Voter Cards.

While describing the figure as encouraging, the Commissioner said the number represents only a fraction of the state’s electoral potential, stressing that intensified mobilisation is required to meet the four-million voter target ahead of the 2027 elections.

Comrade Waiya explained that to accelerate the process, the Kano State Government, in August 2025, constituted a high-powered sensitization committee tasked with mobilising residents on the importance of continuous voter registration and Permanent Voter Card collection.

He said the committee is made up of the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Commissioner for Livestock Development. Other members include special advisers, officials of the Hisbah Board, and representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, the National Association of Nigerian Students, and other relevant stakeholders.

According to the Commissioner, the committee has been mandated to engage communities across all 44 local government areas with the objective of ensuring that no fewer than four million Kano residents are registered and prepared to participate in the 2027 general elections.

Beyond voter registration, Comrade Waiya also highlighted ongoing development efforts by the state government, revealing that more than 900 projects are currently being executed across Kano State.

He said the projects cut across critical sectors and are evenly distributed across the local government areas to promote inclusive development and improve the welfare of residents.

The Commissioner urged Kano residents to continue supporting the present administration in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities, noting that sustained public cooperation is essential to the successful implementation of government programmes.

He reiterated the state government’s commitment to transparency, citizen engagement, and democratic participation, and called on all eligible residents to take full advantage of the continuous voter registration exercise