Bye-Elections: INEC Appeals For Adherence To Law

By Dominic James

Thursday 14^th August 2025

With less than 48 hours to the opening of polls in 16 constituencies spread across 12 States of the Federation, where bye-elections and court-ordered elections will hold on Saturday, 16^th August 2025, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed to political parties, candidates, voters and party agents to adhere strictly to the provisions of the law to ensure a seamless process.

The Commission has also warned Nigerians that had previously registered as a voter not to register a second time when the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) begins with online pre-registration on 18^th August, because multiple registration constitutes a punishable offence under the law.

In a statement issued at the end of the Commission’s regular weekly meeting held on Thursday 14^th August in Abuja, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mr Sam Olumekun affirmed that all non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to the States, while the Bimodal Voter Accreditations Systems to be deployed have been configured.

He also stated that the recruitment and training of ad-hoc staff as well as security and logistics arrangements have been concluded. The final consignment of sensitive materials was scheduled for delivery on 15^th August.

The bye-elections include two Senatorial Districts in Anambra and Edo States; five Federal Constituencies in Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ogun and Oyo States; and nine State Constituencies in Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna (2), Kano, Kogi, Niger, Taraba and Zamfara States. In the same vein, the court-ordered re-run election in Enugu South 1 State Constituency of Anambra State and the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State will be held simultaneously with the bye-elections.

The bye-elections were caused by the resignation or death of serving members of national and State Houses of Assembly.

On the CVR, Mr Olumekun said: “The CVR will resume on Monday 18th August 2025 nationwide with the online pre-registration of voters. The physical or in-person registration will follow a week later at the 811 INEC State and Local Government offices across the country on Monday 25th August 2025. The list and locations of the centres, including dedicated telephone numbers for citizens in need of assistance can be obtained from our website and other online platforms. The active CVR Locator will also go live on Sunday 17th August 2025.

“During the CVR, citizens will also have the opportunity to transfer their registration within a State or to other States of the Federation. Similarly, damaged or lost PVCs will be replaced as provided by law.It needs to be re-emphasied that the CVR is only open to Nigerian citizens who are 18 years or older and who have not registered before as double or multiple registration is a punishable offence under the law.”

Giving an update on the Commission’s preparations for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election, the IVEC Chairman said that following the conclusion of party primaries for the election, 17 poltical parties uploaded their candiates’ nomination form by the deadline of 6pm on Moday 11th August when the dedicted portal shut down. The 17 participating parties nominated 637 candidates for the 68 seats (6 Chairmen and 62 Councillors) in the FCT.

Olumekun said: “In line with the provision of Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission will on Monday 18th August 2025 publish the personal particulars of candidates by displaying copies of their Form EC9 along with all the accompanying academic credentials and other documents submitted by them, in all our offices in the six Area Councils in the FCT.

“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by a candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.”

The IVEC Chairman added that the final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September 2025. The FCT Area Council election will election will hold on 21st February 2026.