*As IPAC tasks commission on sanctity of the ballot box
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed Saturday 16th August 2025 for bye-elections in 16 constituencies across 12 States of the country.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu revealed this on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting of INEC with leaders of registered political parties in the country.
The bye-elections, Yakubu explained, involved a total of 3,553,659 registered voters spread across 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards and 6,987 Polling Units.
The Commission, according to him, will deploy 30,451 officials for the bye-elections.
He said that INEC will also conduct the two outstanding Court-ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I State Constituency of Enugu State and the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano State.
According to him, “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; as well as nine State constituencies ̶ 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.
“The Commission will deploy 30,451 officials.
“However, in spite of the declaration of vacancies, bye-elections will not hold in two State constituencies for the time being.
“These are Khana II State Constituency in Rivers State as a result of the current state of emergency and Talata Mafara South State Constituency in Zamfara State following a legal challenge to the declaration of the seat vacant by the State Assembly.
The INEC Chairman pointed out that unlike the General Election or Off-cycle Governorship elections, there is a tight timeframe for the conduct of bye-elections.
In his words, “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 hardcopies of the detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the bye-elections, including delimitation details of the 16 constituencies and their locations on the map of Nigeria are included in your folders for this meeting. The same information will be uploaded to our website and other platforms for public information shortly”, the INEC Chairman told the leaders of the registered political parties.
Continuing, he said, “In addition to the bye-elections, the Commission will also conduct the two outstanding Court-ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I State Constituency of Enugu State and the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano State.
“These elections were severally disrupted by thuggery and violence. They will now be combined with the bye-elections upon assurances from the security agencies to adequately secure the process.
“The two elections will be held along with the bye-elections on Saturday 16th August 2025”, he said.
Speaking on the issue of the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise, Prof Yakubu disclosed that the Commission has approved the resumption of the online and in-person registration of voters in all the States of the Federation. According to him, “The online pre-registration will start on 18th August 2025 while the in-person registration will follow on 25th August 2025.
“The exercise will be held simultaneously in all our 37 State and FCT offices as well as our 774 Local Government offices nationwide.
“Detailed schedule of activities will be released shortly”, he said.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Committee, IPAC, Dr Yusuf Dantale harped on the need to continue to work on rebuilding trust in the nation’s electoral governance.
According to him, “We must continue to work on rebuilding trust in the 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.
“When elections are free and fair, and credible leaders emerge, there will be inherent trust and confidence in the process. Citizens will be encouraged to participate in nation building”, he declared.
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