Abuja, Nigeria: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled by-elections for Saturday, August 16, 2025, to fill legislative vacancies in 16 constituencies across 12 states. The announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, during a meeting with political party leaders held in Abuja on Thursday.
According to Yakubu, the vacancies resulted from resignations, deaths, and court-ordered annulments. The elections will cover two Senatorial Districts, five Federal Constituencies, and nine State Assembly seats.
The affected areas include Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts; Ovia South West/Ovia South East (Edo), Babura/Garki (Jigawa), Chikun/Kajuru (Kaduna), Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North (Ogun), and Ibadan North (Oyo) Federal Constituencies. State Assembly seats include Ganye (Adamawa), Onitsha North I (Anambra), Dekina/Okura (Kogi), Zaria Kewaye and Basawa (Kaduna), Bagwai/Shanono (Kano), Mariga (Niger), Karim Lamido I (Taraba), and Kauran Namoda South (Zamfara).
INEC will deploy 30,451 personnel to conduct the elections across 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 Polling Units. A total of 3,553,659 registered voters are eligible to participate.
Yakubu clarified that by-elections will not hold in two constituencies—Khana II (Rivers State) due to a state of emergency, and Talata Mafara South (Zamfara State), which is under legal review.
Political parties are expected to hold primaries between July 17 and 21, with nomination submissions to be completed online from July 22 to 26. Campaigning is set to run from August 2 to August 14.
In addition to the by-elections, INEC will conduct court-ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I (Enugu) and Ghari/Tsanyawa (Kano) on the same date, following earlier disruptions caused by violence.
Yakubu also announced the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) nationwide. Online pre-registration begins on August 18, while in-person registration will commence on August 25 across all 774 local government offices and 37 INEC state and FCT offices.
Separately, ahead of the November 2025 Anambra State governorship election, voter registration will take place across all 326 wards in the state from July 8 to 17. The exercise will run daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., including weekends. Eligible voters, including those seeking transfers, replacements of lost or damaged PVCs, or new registrations, are encouraged to participate. However, the online pre-registration option will not be available during this period.
Yakubu confirmed that INEC has published the final list of 16 candidates and running mates for the Anambra election. Campaigns officially began on June 11 and will conclude by midnight on November 6, 2025.
He urged political parties to adhere strictly to INEC’s regulations governing rallies, meetings, and processions, emphasizing the importance of peaceful, lawful campaigns.
On the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, Yakubu reminded party leaders that primaries must be concluded by June 30, with candidate submissions open from July 21 to August 11. He warned that the submission portal will close automatically at 6:00 p.m. on the final day.
In his remarks, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), called for strengthened trust in the electoral process. He emphasized the need for transparent primaries and issue-based campaigns, especially ahead of the Anambra gubernatorial election.
Dantalle expressed concern over low voter turnout, attributing it to public mistrust, fear of violence, and political disillusionment. He urged INEC and political actors to prioritize reforms that rebuild confidence and improve voter engagement.
He also encouraged the electoral commission to harness advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to enhance the transparency, security, and credibility of future elections.
By Taiwo Olatinwo/ June 26,2025
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