The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled by-elections to take place on August 16, 2025, across 16 constituencies in 12 different states.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja during the second regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties for the year 2025.
This session followed the first quarterly consultative meeting, which was held earlier on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
During similar engagements on Wednesday with media executives and civil society organisations (CSOs), Yakubu had pledged to “release the details of the by-elections.”
“At our consultative meetings with CSOs and the media yesterday, we assured Nigerians that the commission was finalising arrangements for two pending activities, the details of which will be made public within 24 hours.”
“First, the outstanding bye-elections and, secondly, the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
On the bye-elections, let me first give you a brief update. In the last two years since the inauguration of the National and State Assemblies in June 2023, vacancies requiring bye-elections have occurred nationwide.
“You may recall that in February last year, the commission conducted nine bye-elections to fill vacancies resulting from the death or resignation of members of the National and State Houses of Assembly.
“Since then, more vacancies have been declared across the country. The outstanding bye-elections involve two Senatorial Districts ̶ Anambra South and Edo Central; five Federal Constituencies ̶ Ovia South West/Ovia South East in Edo State, Babura/Garki in Jigawa State, Chikun/Kajuru in Kaduna State, Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North in Ogun State and Ibadan North in Oyo State,” Yakubu said.
He also mentioned nine State constituencies, including Ganye in Adamawa State, Onitsha North I in Anambra State, Dekina/Okura in Kogi State, Zaria Kewaye and Basawa in Kaduna State, Bagwai/Shanono in Kano State, Mariga in Niger State, Karim Lamido I in Taraba State, and Kauran Namoda South in Zamfara State.
“Consequently, commission has fixed Saturday 16th August 2025 for bye-elections in 16 constituencies across 12 states of the country involving a total of 3,553,659 registered voters spread across 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards and 6,987 Polling Units (PUs),” Yakubu said.
The INEC chairman announced that the Commission will deploy 30,451 personnel to conduct the elections. However, Prof. Yakubu noted that, despite the declared vacancies, by-elections will not be held in two state constituencies for now.
He identified the affected constituencies as Khana II in Rivers State, due to the ongoing state of emergency, and Talata Mafara South in Zamfara State, owing to a legal challenge against the State Assembly’s declaration of the seat’s vacancy.
He further explained, “Unlike General Elections or off-cycle governorship elections, by-elections operate within a constrained timeframe.”
“Party primaries will be held between 17th and 21st July 2025 while the online portal for submission of nomination forms will open at 9.00am on 22nd July and end at 6.00pm on 26th July 2025.
“Campaign in public will commence on 2nd August 2025 and end at midnight on 14th August 2025 i.e. 24 hours before Election Day.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission will, in addition to the by-elections, conduct two pending court-ordered re-run polls in the Enugu South I State Constituency of Enugu State and the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano State.
These elections had previously been disrupted multiple times due to acts of violence and thuggery.
They have now been rescheduled to hold alongside the by-elections on Saturday, August 16, 2025, following assurances from security agencies to provide adequate protection for the exercise.
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