The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that by-elections will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2025, to fill vacant positions in the National and State Assemblies across 12 states. Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, shared this information during a meeting with political party leaders in Abuja on Thursday.
He noted that the vacancies were caused by resignations, deaths, and court decisions.
“The elections will occur in 16 constituencies, which includes two Senatorial Districts, five Federal Constituencies, and nine State Assembly seats,” Yakubu stated.
The constituencies involved encompass Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts, among others in Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ogun, and Oyo States. The State Assembly vacancies include Ganye in Adamawa, Onitsha North I in Anambra, and several others in Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara.
Yakubu confirmed that INEC will assign 30,451 officials to oversee the elections, which will cater to 3,553,659 registered voters across 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 Polling Units. However, two State Constituencies—Khana II in Rivers State due to a state of emergency, and Talata Mafara South in Zamfara, pending legal proceedings—will not hold by-elections.
He added, “Political parties are to conduct their primaries from July 17 to 21 and submit nomination forms online from July 22 to 26. Campaigning will begin on August 2 and conclude on August 14.”
Additionally, Yakubu announced that two court-mandated re-run elections, for Enugu South I and Ghari/Tsanyawa, will take place on August 16, following prior disruptions due to violence.
He also revealed that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) process will resume nationwide, with online pre-registration starting on August 18 and physical registration commencing on August 25.
“To boost voter registration during the upcoming Anambra State governorship election, there will be a distinct registration exercise in all 326 wards from July 8 to 17. This will be an opportunity for new voters and current voters wishing to transfer their registration or replace lost cards,” he mentioned.
Yakubu urged eligible citizens to attend in-person for registration, explaining that the online pre-registration will not be available at this time. He emphasized the importance of completing voter registration at least 90 days prior to the election as required by law.
He also stated that the final list of candidates for the elections has been published, with public campaigning starting two weeks prior and continuing until the night before election day.
Regarding the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, Yakubu reminded political parties to complete their primaries by June 30, 2025, and to upload candidate lists by August 11, 2025.
Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), urged political stakeholders to focus on rebuilding trust in the electoral system and improving citizen participation. He noted progress in recent elections but pointed out low voter turnout caused by public mistrust and fears of violence.
Dantalle called for transparent and constitutional primaries for the FCTA Council elections and for issue-based campaigns leading up to the Anambra gubernatorial election on November 8, 2025. He encouraged the use of technology, such as centralized Artificial Intelligence, to enhance election integrity and decision-making.
“IPAC supports initiatives to strengthen democratic institutions in Nigeria,” he concluded.
