The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided an update on key upcoming electoral activities, including bye-elections in 16 constituencies, the resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), and preparations for the Anambra State Governorship election.
The announcement came on the second day of INEC’s regular consultative meetings with stakeholders, involving leaders of registered political parties from across Nigeria.
In his address on Thursday, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed that the bye-elections will be conducted on Saturday, August 16, 2025. These elections will cover 16 constituencies in 12 states, with 3,553,659 registered voters across 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 Polling Units. A total of 30,451 election officials will be deployed for the exercise.
However, the Commission clarified that bye-elections will not be held in Khana II State Constituency in Rivers State due to the ongoing state of emergency, and in Talata Mafara South State Constituency in Zamfara State owing to a pending legal dispute.
Yakubu emphasized the tight schedule for conducting the bye-elections. Party primaries will take place from July 17 to 21, 2025. The nomination of candidates via the INEC portal will begin at 9:00 a.m. on July 22 and close at 6:00 p.m. on July 26. Public campaigns are permitted between August 2 and August 14.
The INEC Chairman also confirmed the Commission’s approval for the resumption of CVR at both state-specific and national levels. In Anambra State, CVR will be conducted in all 326 Wards from July 8 to 17, 2025, operating daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., including weekends. This will allow eligible voters to register, transfer registration, replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), or collect previously issued PVCs.
Nationwide online pre-registration will resume on August 18, 2025, with physical registration commencing on August 25 at INEC’s 37 state and FCT offices and 774 local government offices.
Speaking during the meeting, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, reiterated the council’s support for credible elections and urged all stakeholders to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
He described the Anambra Governorship election as an opportunity for INEC to demonstrate its technological capabilities, especially in leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance transparency, mitigate risks, and boost voter participation.
Dantalle also commended INEC and the Federal Government for the ongoing construction of the Commission’s new headquarters annexe, which he described as a critical boost to INEC’s operational efficiency.
