By Samuel Adeola
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed Saturday, August 16, 2025, for bye elections in 16 constituencies across 12 states.
The elections will cover two Senatorial Districts, five Federal Constituencies, and nine State Constituencies.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, announced the date during a meeting with political party leaders in Abuja.
He said the elections will involve 3,553,659 registered voters across 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 Polling Units. A total of 30,451 officials will be deployed for the exercise.
According to Professor Yakubu, the bye elections became necessary due to deaths, resignations, and other reasons that created vacancies since the inauguration of the National and State Assemblies in June 2023.
However, elections will not hold in Khana Two Constituency in Rivers State due to a declared state of emergency, and in Talata Mafara South in Zamfara State due to an unresolved legal dispute.
The affected areas include the following:
Senatorial Districts: Anambra South and Edo Central Federal Constituencies: Ovia South West and Ovia South East in Edo, Babura and Garki in Jigawa, Chikun and Kajuru in Kaduna, Ikenne, Shagamu and Remo North in Ogun, Ibadan North in Oyo State Constituencies: Ganye in Adamawa, Onitsha North One in Anambra, Dekina and Okura in Kogi, Zaria Kewaye and Basawa in Kaduna, Bagwai and Shanono in Kano, Mariga in Niger, Karim Lamido One in Taraba, and Kauran Namoda South in Zamfara
Professor Yakubu also stated that political parties are to conduct their primaries between July 17 and 21.
Submission of nomination forms will be done online from 9 am on July 22 to 6 pm on July 26. Campaigns will be allowed from August 2 until midnight of August 14.
In addition, two court ordered re-run elections will be held on the same day in Enugu South One in Enugu and Ghari and Tsanyawa in Kano.
These re-runs were previously disrupted by violence, but security agencies have now assured INEC of a peaceful process.
The INEC Chairman concluded by assuring that full details of the elections, including constituency maps and schedules, are available both online and in printed copies distributed to party leaders.
