INEC Fixes August 16 for Bye-Elections in 16 Constituencies

INEC Fixes August 16 for Bye-Elections in 16 Constituencies

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that bye-elections will be held on August 16, 2025, to fill vacancies in 16 constituencies across 12 states in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during the second regular Consultative Meeting with Political Parties held in Abuja on Thursday.

Providing updates on the electoral process and the upcoming elections, Prof. Yakubu explained that since the inauguration of the National and State Assemblies in June 2023, several vacancies have arisen due to the death or resignation of members.

“In the last two years, the Commission conducted nine bye-elections to fill vacancies, and since then, more vacancies have been declared across the country,” he stated.

The upcoming bye-elections will involve two Senatorial Districts, five Federal Constituencies, and nine State constituencies, with a total of 3,553,659 registered voters expected to participate.

The INEC Chairman also highlighted the tight timeframe for the conduct of these bye-elections, noting that party primaries will take place from July 17 to July 21, 2025.

“Campaigns will commence on August 2, 2025, and end at midnight on August 14, 2025, just 24 hours before Election Day,” he added.

However, he noted that bye-elections will not be held in two State constituencies due to a state of emergency and a legal challenge.

In addition to the bye-elections, INEC will conduct two outstanding court-ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituencies, which were previously disrupted by violence.

“These elections will now be combined with the bye-elections upon assurances from security agencies to adequately secure the process,” Prof. Yakubu confirmed.

The Commission also announced the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which will take place in Anambra State from July 8 to July 17, 2025.

“During this period, new voters and those wishing to transfer their registration will have the opportunity to do so,” he explained. The nationwide CVR will resume with online pre-registration starting on August 18, 2025, followed by in-person registration on August 25, 2025.

Addressing concerns about the upcoming Anambra State Governorship election, Prof. Yakubu emphasized the importance of adherence to electoral regulations.

“We expect political parties to comply with our Regulations and Guidelines for meetings, rallies, and processions,” he stated.

He also acknowledged the ongoing complaints from opposition parties regarding access to public facilities for campaign activities, asserting that such actions violate the Electoral Act 2022.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, emphasized the need for trust in electoral governance.

According to Dr. Dantalle, while there is improvement in the conduct of recent elections, voter turnout remains low, indicating a lack of trust in the electoral process

He urged political parties to conduct transparent primaries and focus on issue-based campaigns for the upcoming elections.

“We must continue to work on rebuilding trust in electoral governance. Elections are a prerequisite of democracy. In fact, it is the beauty of democracy. We must uphold the sanctity of the ballot box and respect the will of the people as expressed therein.

“Elected public officers must be held accountable at all levels of governance. This is one salient way to protect and sustain our hard earned democracy.

“After 26 years of unbroken democracy , citizens expect the best of representative governance in tandem with the provisions of Section 14(2)b of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” Dantalle noted.

Party leaders in attendance include, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, Former Presidential candidate of African Action Alliance (AAA), in the 2023 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, amongst others.