The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled bye-elections for Saturday, August 16, 2025, to fill vacant seats in the National and State Assemblies across 16 constituencies in 12 states.
The commission also announced the resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) nationwide, with online pre-registration set to begin on Monday, August 18, 2025, while in-person registration will commence on Monday, August 25, 2025.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed these on Thursday during the second quarterly consultative meeting with political party leaders at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The bye-elections cover two senatorial districts, five federal constituencies, and nine state assembly constituencies, involving over 3.5 million registered voters across 32 local government areas, 356 wards, and 6,987 polling units.
The outstanding bye-elections will be conducted in ̶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;
Others will be conducted in 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).
Yakubu said, “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 by-elections to fill vacancies resulting from the deaths or resignations of members of the National and State Houses of Assembly. Since then, more vacancies have been declared nationwide.
“Consequently, the commission has fixed Saturday, August 16, 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, despite the declaration of vacancies, bye-elections will not be held 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 disclosed that party primaries would take place between July 17 and 21, with submission of nomination forms via INEC’s online portal from July 22 to 26, adding that campaigns are permitted from August 2 to midnight on August 14.
Yakubu added that two previously disrupted court-ordered re-run elections for Enugu South I in Enugu State and Ghari/Tsanyawa in Kano State would be conducted on the same day.
On resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) nationwide, Yakubu said online pre-registration will commence on Monday, August 18, 2025, while in-person registration at INEC offices across the 36 states and the FCT will begin on Monday, August 25, 2025.
He said the commission would deploy 30,451 officials for the exercise, adding that the voter registration will be conducted at INEC’s 37 state/FCT offices and the 774 local government offices across the country.
The INEC chairman, however, revealed that CVR in Anambra State would commence in the 326 Wards across the state on July 8, 2025 and end on July 17, 2025.
“During the registration period, new voters as well as those who wish to transfer their registration to Anambra State from other states of the federation or one location to another within the state will have the opportunity to do so.
“Similarly, registered voters whose Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) are lost or damaged will have the opportunity to apply for a replacement. Uncollected PVCs from previous registrations will also be available for collection at the registration centres. Interested and eligible Nigerian citizens are encouraged to appear in person to register.
“The online pre-registration option is not available for the time being. Voter registration and the compilation of the voters’ register must be completed not later than 90 days before the date fixed for the election as provided by law. Detailed information, including the locations of the 326 registration centres in Anambra State, is included in your folders for this meeting,” Yakubu said.
Speaking, the Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle, called on the commission to use the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025, to demonstrate its capacity to conduct credible and technology-driven elections.
Dantalle said that while recent elections have shown signs of improvement, voter turnout remains disturbingly low, largely due to a lingering distrust in the electoral process, fears over electoral violence, and a general lack of confidence in political actors.
He urged INEC to rebuild public trust by leveraging its new technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI), to drive decision-making, risk management, voter engagement, predictive analytics, automation, and integrity safeguards.