The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will not conduct a bye-election in the Khana II State Constituency of Rivers State due to the current state of emergency in the area.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known during a meeting with the Chairmen and Secretaries of 19 registered political parties held on Thursday in Abuja.
He explained that although vacancies have been declared in 16 constituencies across 12 states, the elections in Khana II in Rivers State and Talata Mafara South in Zamfara State would be excluded for now.
According to Prof. Yakubu, the election in Talata Mafara South is being withheld due to a legal challenge against the declaration of the seat as vacant by the State Assembly.
He disclosed that the outstanding bye-elections in the other constituencies will be held on August 16, 2025.
However, the meeting witnessed the absence of key opposition parties. Chairmen and Secretaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) were notably absent. Despite the internal leadership crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP), its embattled National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, was present.
The PDP, which met with INEC on Tuesday in an effort to resolve its internal national secretaryship dispute, was unable to reach a resolution.
The Labour Party is currently factionalised between the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC), which was sacked by the Supreme Court on April 4, and the Senator Esther Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC).
It remains unclear which of the LP factions received INEC’s invitation to the meeting. Senator Usman’s spokesperson, Ken Asogwa, told New Telegraph that she is currently out of the country, while the NCC’s National Secretary, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, claimed he was not invited.
Prof. Yakubu listed the affected constituencies requiring bye-elections, including two senatorial districts in Anambra South and Edo Central; five federal constituencies in Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Ogun, and Oyo States; and nine state constituencies in Adamawa, Anambra, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara States.
He also disclosed that the commission would conduct two court-ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I State Constituency in Enugu State and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano State.
These elections were previously disrupted by thuggery and violence but will now be held alongside the bye-elections, with security agencies providing necessary protection.
A total of 3,553,659 registered voters will participate in the upcoming bye-elections, which will span 32 Local Government Areas, 356 Wards, and 6,987 polling units. INEC will deploy 30,451 officials to oversee the process.
Yakubu emphasized that bye-elections follow a tighter schedule than general elections. Party primaries will be held from July 17 to 21, 2025. The portal for submission of nomination forms will open on July 22 at 9:00 a.m. and close on July 26 at 6:00 p.m. Campaigns will begin on August 2 and end at midnight on August 14, a day before the election.
Addressing reports of denial of access to public spaces by opposition parties in Anambra State, the INEC Chairman condemned the act, describing it as a violation of the Electoral Act 2022.
He expressed concern over the excessive charges imposed for outdoor advertising and reminded authorities that the use of incumbency to disadvantage other political parties or candidates is unlawful.
INEC, he said, would collaborate with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to consider possible legal action in response to clear violations of the law.
Prof. Yakubu also announced that INEC has approved two phases of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. The first phase will be conducted across the 326 Wards in Anambra State ahead of the November 8 governorship election, and will hold between July 8 and 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily, including weekends.
The second phase, which will cover all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, will begin with online pre-registration from August 18. In-person registration will follow from August 25 across all INEC state and local government offices nationwide.