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Over 3.5 million voters to participate in 16 National and State Assembly by-elections
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Two re-runs and special voter registration exercises scheduled for Anambra and nationwide
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Political parties urged to ensure transparent primaries and issue-based campaigns
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, August 16, 2025, for by-elections in 16 constituencies across 12 states to fill vacant National and State Assembly seats.
The vacancies, according to INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, arose due to resignations, deaths, and court-ordered annulments. The affected positions include two Senatorial Districts, five House of Representatives seats, and nine State Assembly constituencies, covering over 3.5 million registered voters, 32 Local Government Areas, and nearly 7,000 polling units.
However, by-elections will not be conducted in Khana II in Rivers State due to a state of emergency, and Talata Mafara South in Zamfara State, which is facing legal contention over its declared vacancy.
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In addition to the by-elections, INEC will also conduct court-ordered re-run polls in Enugu South I (Enugu) and Ghari/Tsanyawa (Kano), previously disrupted by violence.
Political parties are to hold primaries between July 17 and 21, submit nominations online between July 22 and 26, and campaigns will run from August 2 to 14.
INEC also announced that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will resume across the country, with online pre-registration starting August 18 and in-person registration commencing August 25. For the Anambra governorship election, voter registration in all 326 wards will be conducted from July 8 to 17.
The INEC Chairman stressed that all registration, including for transfers, replacements, or PVC collection, is free and must be completed at least 90 days before any election.
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Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), through its Chairman Dr Yusuf Dantalle, called for transparency in party primaries and urged candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns ahead of the Anambra and FCT elections. He warned against the imposition of candidates and encouraged INEC to strengthen the process using AI-based governance systems for data-driven decision-making and glitch-free operations.
Dr Dantalle highlighted the need to rebuild public trust, citing low voter turnout, fear of violence, and unfulfilled promises as major threats to Nigeria’s democracy.
