INEC Fixes Date for Bye-Elections, Announces Voter Registration Plans in Anambra, Nationwide

By Toffa Momoh, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has continued its consultative engagements with critical stakeholders, holding a high-level meeting with leaders of all registered political parties as part of its ongoing efforts to ensure seamless electoral administration.

In his opening address, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, provided a detailed briefing on the Commission’s forthcoming activities, which include the conduct of bye-elections in 16 constituencies, the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, and preparations for the Anambra State Governorship Election.

Professor Yakubu disclosed that the bye-elections will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2025, across 16 constituencies in 12 states, involving 3,553,659 registered voters. The elections will take place in 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 Polling Units, with 30,451 election officials expected to be deployed.

He, however, noted that the bye-elections will not be conducted in Khana II State Constituency in Rivers State due to the prevailing state of emergency, and in Talata Mafara South State Constituency in Zamfara State, where a legal dispute remains unresolved concerning the declared vacancy.

Highlighting the strict timeline for the exercise, Prof. Yakubu announced that political party primaries are to hold between July 17 and 21, 2025, while nomination forms must be submitted via the INEC portal between 9:00 a.m. on July 22 and 6:00 p.m. on July 26, 2025. Public campaign activities will be allowed from August 2 to August 14, 2025.

On voter registration, the INEC Chairman revealed that the Commission has approved the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) at both state-specific and national levels.

In Anambra State, ahead of the November Governorship election, CVR will take place from July 8 to 17, 2025, in all 326 Wards, operating daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., including weekends. The exercise will accommodate new registrants, individuals wishing to transfer their registration, and those requesting replacements for lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). Collection of existing PVCs will also be available at the designated centres.

At the national level, online pre-registration will resume on August 18, 2025, while in-person registration will commence on August 25, 2025, across INEC’s 37 State and FCT offices and 774 Local Government Area offices nationwide.

Also speaking at the meeting, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle, reiterated the council’s commitment to deepening democratic values and promoting credible elections.

“IPAC remains steadfast in its pursuit of electoral integrity, political stability, and the strengthening of trust in Nigeria’s electoral system,” Dantalle stated.

He called on all political stakeholders to uphold the sanctity of the ballot and hold elected officials accountable to further reinforce the country’s democratic institutions.

Dantalle urged INEC to explore the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance transparency, reduce electoral risks, and foster greater voter engagement, especially in the upcoming Anambra governorship poll. He also praised the Federal Government and INEC for the ongoing construction of a new headquarters annex, describing it as a boost to the Commission’s operational capacity.

The meeting had in attendance INEC National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, senior aides to the Chairman, and directors from various departments within the electoral body.