INEC Confirms Real-Time Transmission Of FCT Council Poll Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims that it will transmit the February 21 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election results in “real-time.”

In a statement on Wednesday, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, clarified that at no point did Prof. Joash Amupitan promise that results would be available in real time. He warned that the use of the term “real-time” misrepresents the Commission’s established procedures.

According to Oketola, while Prof. Amupitan confirmed that technology will play a key role in the upcoming elections, he never used the phrase “real-time” in discussions with the press. The term, he explained, suggests a live, simultaneous feed of votes as they are cast—a process not supported by Nigeria’s legal framework or INEC’s operational guidelines.

INEC reiterated that its existing procedures, including the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), will guide the elections. Prof. Amupitan reportedly emphasized that the BVAS has long been capable of accrediting voters and transmitting results electronically, but only after voting concludes, ballots are counted manually, and result sheets are formally signed by party agents.

The Commission also stressed the importance of accurate reporting, urging media practitioners to avoid misrepresenting technical procedures, which could create unnecessary public agitation. Despite clarifying the terminology, INEC reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a transparent, technology-driven election in the FCT, strictly following established electronic upload protocols.