The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reminded political parties and stakeholders to refer to the provisions of the amended Electoral Act 2022 concerning the tenure of Area Council Chairmen in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The commission clarified that the Act ensures a four-year term for Chairmen and Councilors, in contrast to the three-year tenure stipulated in the Electoral Act 2010.
According to report from vanguard, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a meeting with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Abuja, stated that the current chairmen and councilors' terms would end in June 2026. This clarification follows inquiries from various entities regarding the tenure and the timetable for the next Area Council elections. Yakubu emphasized that these inquiries were based on the Electoral Act 2010, which was valid during the last elections held on February 12, 2022.
Yakubu explained that the National Assembly has since replaced the Electoral Act 2010 with the Electoral Act 2022, extending the tenure of Area Councils from three to four years to align with other national elections. This new Act took effect on February 25, 2022, and thus the tenures of the officials elected in the last Area Council elections, who were sworn in on June 14, 2022, would expire in June 2026.
He stressed that the tenure is determined by the date of the oath of office or the legislative inauguration, not the election date. Using the upcoming Edo and Ondo State Governorship elections as examples, he highlighted that elected officials assume office only after their oath of office, despite elections being held earlier to prevent a power vacuum. Section 108(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 specifically states that an Area Council dissolves four years from the oath of office or legislative inauguration date.
Yakubu criticized law firms for not informing their clients about the updated law and judicial decisions confirming that tenure starts from the oath of office. He reassured stakeholders of INEC’s commitment to adhering to the law, noting that the timetable for elections would be released as per legal requirements, one year before the election date.
Yakubu praised the FCT Area Council elections as exemplary for local government elections in Nigeria, highlighting their stability and plurality, with no single party ever winning all seats. He urged political aspirants to follow legal provisions and announced that INEC would release the election timetable at the appropriate time.
IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Mohammed Dantalle, acknowledged their visit to INEC was to seek clarification on the tenure of current Area Council Chairmen and Councilors, stressing the importance of understanding whether the tenure is three or four years.