The Independent National Electoral Commission has clarified that the split polling units used during the February 21 Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory were created in February 2022, not 2026.
The statement, issued on Tuesday by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to INEC Chairman Josiah Amupitan, dismissed claims that voters were migrated shortly before the election, stressing that no voter migration occurred in 2026.
“The split polling units referenced in recent discussions were created in February 2022 and not in 2026,” the commission said.
INEC explained that under its Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units initiative, over 56,000 additional polling units were created nationwide in 2022, increasing the total from 119,972 to over 176,000.
To populate these new units, approximately 6.7 million voters were migrated from about 12,000 congested units to roughly 17,000 less congested units across the country.
In the FCT specifically, 411 polling units were decongested, redistributing around 580,000 voters to 1,156 polling units.
“Split polling units are additional voting points with BVAS devices deployed to ease voter accreditation and fast-track voting in large units with more than 1,250 registered voters,” the statement added.
The commission emphasised that the creation of split units did not change voters’ registration status; it merely redistributed voters within the same location to enhance administrative efficiency.
“The aim is to enhance orderliness, reduce overcrowding, and improve the overall voting experience,” INEC said, noting that split units are located only a few metres from the original units within the same premises.
INEC also explained that during mock elections in the FCT, some voters who were migrated in 2022 still faced challenges locating their units. To address this, text messages and emails were sent on 18–21 February 2026 to remind voters of their designated locations.
“These notifications were intended solely as reminders to assist voters in identifying their designated voting points,” the commission said.
INEC urged voters to verify their polling details using its online Polling Unit Locator and, where possible, visit their polling locations ahead of Election Day to avoid confusion.
“We encourage all voters to utilise available verification platforms to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and ensure a smooth voting experience,” the commission concluded, reaffirming its commitment to improving electoral service delivery.
