By Janet Samuel
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, August 16, 2025, for the conduct of 16 bye-elections across 12 states in Nigeria, involving over 3.5 million registered voters.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during the Commission’s second quarterly consultative meeting with leaders of political parties held Thursday in Abuja.
Professor Yakubu explained that the bye-elections will fill existing vacancies in two Senatorial districts, five Federal constituencies, and nine State constituencies, stating that the elections will take place in 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 Polling Units, with 30,451 officials expected to be deployed.
“In spite of the declaration of vacancies, bye-elections will not hold in Khana II Constituency in Rivers and Talata Mafara South in Zamfara for now due to security and legal concerns,” the INEC boss clarified.
The Commission also announced the resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in preparation for the Anambra Governorship election. The exercise is scheduled for July 8–17, 2025, across 326 Wards in Anambra. “The online pre-registration option is not available at this time,” Yakubu noted, urging citizens to register physically.
While addressing concerns over the denial of public spaces and media access to opposition parties in Anambra, Yakubu said such practices breach the Electoral Act. “These actions are a violation, and the Commission will collaborate with IPAC and ARCON for possible legal action,” he warned.
Speaking on behalf of political parties, National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle called for trust-building in electoral governance. “Voter turnout remains very low. It indicates fear that votes might not count or fear of violence. This must be addressed,” Dantalle said.
Dr. Dantalle also urged INEC to leverage artificial intelligence in enhancing electoral integrity. “The Anambra poll provides an opportunity for INEC to demonstrate its capacity through centralized AI governance,” he said, assuring that IPAC will also explore AI for party membership and voter education efforts.
