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The Independent National Electoral Commission will commence the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards for the 2026 Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections this week, ahead of the February 21 polls.

INEC officials familiar with the exercise confirmed the development to our correspondent on Monday in Abuja.

One commission official said, “The PVC distribution will commence this week.”

Another official, who has knowledge of the commission’s election timetable, disclosed that the exercise would span several days.

“The PVC collection will commence this week, likely from Thursday to Sunday,” the official said.

The PVC distribution will cover newly registered voters, as well as those who applied for transfer of registration or requested updates to their voter details during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

The development follows INEC’s recent confirmation that 1,680,315 registered voters have been cleared to participate in the FCT Area Council elections.

The revised voters’ register was produced after the suspension of the CVR exercise in the FCT in October 2025 to allow for biometric de-duplication, public display of the register for claims and objections, and the compilation of a supplementary voters’ list.

INEC records indicate that about 93,868 PVCs remain uncollected at the commission’s FCT office, underscoring the need for eligible voters to take advantage of the exercise ahead of the polls.

The commission also disclosed that the backlog of uncollected PVCs from previous registrations would be made available for collection at designated centres during the distribution period.

Political campaigns for the elections, which commenced on September 24, 2025, are expected to end at midnight on February 19, 2026.

INEC has released the final list of candidates for the polls, with aspirants from 17 political parties successfully submitting their nomination forms.

The commission is currently undertaking other preparatory activities, including campaign monitoring, receipt of non-sensitive election materials, activation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, voter education and sensitisation, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

A total of 68 positions will be contested in the election, comprising six chairmanship seats and 62 councillorship seats across the six area councils of the FCT—Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abaji.

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The Nigerian Army has dismissed as false and misleading an online report alleging threats of mutiny by soldiers over salaries and allowances, describing the claim as sensational and detrimental to national security.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, the acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, said there had been no threat of mutiny within the Nigerian Army.

Anele said that such conduct was alien to its ethos, discipline and professionalism.

She said mutiny was a grave offence under military law and incompatible with the loyalty of Nigerian Army personnel to the Constitution and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Anele explained that the report relied on anonymous and unverifiable claims circulated through non-official channels, which did not reflect the views or disposition of officers and soldiers who were trained to address grievances through established military procedures.

Anele clarified that promotion increments were only one component of military pay and should not be misrepresented as total earnings.

According to her, military remuneration includes consolidated salaries, rank-based allowances, operational, field and hardship allowances, as well as other entitlements that vary based on deployment, qualifications and responsibilities.

She said the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria and relevant government authorities, was implementing structured welfare reforms, including periodic reviews of salaries and allowances, enhanced operational incentives, improved accommodation, medical care and insurance packages for troops and their families.

The army spokesperson added that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, had, since assuming office, initiated constructive engagements with relevant authorities on troop welfare, with positive outcomes already emerging.

Anele reaffirmed that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remained committed to the welfare and operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces amid evolving security challenges.

She urged the public to disregard unfounded reports and rely on official communication channels for accurate information on the Nigerian Army.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a draft Spectrum Roadmap for 2026–2030, alongside new guidelines for opening the lower 6GHz and 60GHz spectrum bands, as part of efforts to expand broadband access, drive investment, create jobs, and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.

Speaking at the launch on Monday in Abuja, NCC Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dr. Aminu Maida, emphasized that spectrum is a critical national resource underpinning mobile connectivity, broadband services, satellite communications, emergency networks, financial platforms, and smart technologies.

Representing the EVC, Head of Spectrum Administration, Atiku Lawal, said the roadmap is designed to provide a forward-looking framework that instills investor confidence, encourages innovation, and ensures quality communication services across the country. “The initiatives are expected to stimulate broadband investment, expand digital infrastructure, create jobs, and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy as the country positions itself to meet rising data demand and global competitiveness targets,” he added.

Lawal highlighted that effective spectrum planning will reduce broadband deployment costs, encourage network expansion into underserved areas, and unlock opportunities for businesses that rely on digital connectivity. He noted that demand for spectrum is rising rapidly due to data-intensive applications, artificial intelligence, cloud services, and the Internet of Things, requiring smarter planning and flexible regulation.

The NCC said opening the lower 6GHz and 60GHz bands will provide new capacity for high-speed, affordable, and reliable connectivity, particularly for Wi-Fi in homes, schools, businesses, and public spaces. “Expanded access to unlicensed spectrum will lower barriers to innovation, support new digital services, and enable SMEs to leverage affordable connectivity for growth,” Lawal said.

Representing the Head of Spectrum Administration, Engr. Joseph Emeshili described the roadmap as more than a technical document, calling it a strategic blueprint to bridge the digital divide, expand economic participation, and make reliable connectivity accessible to all Nigerians, including rural communities. He added that the lower 6GHz band will enable the full potential of Wi-Fi 6, while the 60GHz band will support multi-gigabit wireless links for advanced applications such as AI, cloud computing, and smart cities.

Engr. Gidado Maigana, representing NCC Executive Commissioner for Technical Services, Engr. Abraham Oshadami, said spectrum planning is critical for meeting broadband targets, attracting investment, and ensuring Nigeria remains globally competitive. He noted that stakeholder input will help strengthen final policies and that expanded spectrum access will improve network quality, reduce deployment costs, and accelerate the transition to a digitally driven economy.

The NCC said its approach aligns with national development priorities and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s goal of building a $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.