FCT poll: INEC denies result manipulation at Kwali polling unit

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed allegations of result manipulation at Kuroko Health Centre polling unit in Yangoji Ward, Kwali Area Council, during last Saturday’s elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Aminu Idris, in a statement issued on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, described the claim as false and misleading.

Reports had alleged the unit recorded 1,219 votes for a party, despite having 345 registered and 213 accredited voters.

Idris said the official result showed the party scored 121 votes, not 1,219 as circulated on social media.

“The commission categorically states that the claim of manipulation or falsification is untrue and misleading,” Idris stated.

He noted that a clerical error occurred when the presiding officer initially recorded 122 votes for the party.

The INEC official said: “After sorting and counting, she recorded 122 for APC.

“On tallying everything, she noticed there was an overshoot by one.”

He said ballots were recounted openly, confirming the correct figure was 121, not 122.

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“She cancelled the two and inserted one to reflect 121. She also corrected the figure in words,” Idris said, adding that the corrected result was uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and used for collation.

Idris noted that party agents present signed the result sheet, affirming its accuracy.

He stressed that 121 votes, not 1,219, were used at ward and area council collation stages.

The INEC REC urged the public and media to verify information with official records before drawing conclusions, adding: “INEC remains committed to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

“Where genuine errors occur, they are investigated and addressed.”

The Star