The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed August.16 for the conduct of outstanding by-elections in 16 constituencies across 12 states in the country.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced this during the commission’s quarterly meeting with political parties on Thursday in Abuja.
Yakubu noted that the commission would be deploy 30,451 officials for the by-elections involving a total of 3,553,659 registered voters spread across 32 Local Government Areas in 356 wards and 6,987 polling units in the country.
He recalled that in the last two years since the inauguration of the national and state assemblies in June 2023, vacancies requiring by-elections had occurred nationwide.
Yakubu also recalled that in February 2025, INEC conducted nine bye-elections to fill vacancies resulting from the deaths or resignation of members of the national and state assemblies, noting that more vacancies had occurred.
He said: “The outstanding bye-elections involve two senatorial districts of Anambra South and Edo Central.”
“Five federal constituencies of Ovia South-West/Ovia South-East in Edo, Babura/Garki in Jigawa, Chikun/Kajuru in Kaduna State, Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North in Ogun and Ibadan North in Oyo.”
“Nine state constituencies of Ganye in Adamawa, Onitsha North I in Anambra, Dekina/Okura in Kogi, Zaria Kewaye and Basawa both in Kaduna State.”
“Other constituencies are Bagwai/Shanono in Kano State, Mariga in Niger, Karim Lamido I in Taraba and Kauran Namoda South in Zamfara.”
He, however, said that despite the declaration of vacancies, the by-elections would not hold in Khana II State Constituency in Rivers and state constituencies in Rivers and Talata Mafara South state constituency in Zamfara.
He explained that the non-conduct of by-elections in Rivers was due to the current state of emergency in the state.
The INEC chairman said the Zamfara’s case was due to a pending legal issue.
