26 June, 2025
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that bye-elections will be held across 16 constituencies in 12 states on August 16, 2025, involving over 3.5 million registered voters.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting with political party leaders in Abuja. According to him, the elections will be conducted in 32 local government areas, covering 356 wards and 6,987 polling units, with 30,451 officials expected to be deployed.
However, the elections will not be held in Khana II constituency in Rivers State due to the ongoing state of emergency, and in Talata Mafara South in Zamfara State, where the seat remains under legal contention.
Yakubu stressed the need for political parties to adhere strictly to the election timetable, stating that primaries must be conducted between July 17 and 21, 2025. He also directed that nomination forms be submitted electronically between July 22 and July 26. Campaigns will be allowed from August 2 to August 14.
“In line with our electoral calendar, we are giving parties enough time to conduct credible primaries and submit names of candidates. The success of this process lies in the cooperation of all political actors,” Yakubu said.
Beyond the bye-elections, INEC is also intensifying preparations for the Anambra State governorship election slated for November. Yakubu announced that Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Anambra will run from July 8 to 17 in all 326 wards, daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., including weekends.
“This exercise will cover new registrations, transfers, and requests for replacement of lost or damaged PVCs. Collection of already printed PVCs will also take place at designated centres,” he added.
At the national level, online voter pre-registration will resume on August 18, while in-person registration at INEC’s offices nationwide will begin on August 25.
Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, commended INEC’s efforts and called for the strengthening of Nigeria’s democratic values through credible electoral processes.
“IPAC remains committed to promoting electoral integrity and public trust. We urge all stakeholders to respect the sanctity of the ballot and ensure peaceful participation,” Dantalle said.
He also recommended the use of artificial intelligence to boost transparency and reduce risks during the electoral process, especially in the Anambra election.
The meeting was attended by INEC National Commissioners, directors, and other senior officials of the Commission.
