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Warns candidates, parties on violation of regulations
By Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the final consignment of sensitive materials will be delivered on Friday, August 15, 2025, ahead of the by-elections scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2025, across 16 constituencies in 12 states of the federation.
Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, made the announcement in a statement following the commission’s weekly meeting in Abuja. He noted that all non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to the states, and election technology, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), has been configured.
The commission reiterated its appeal to political parties, candidates, voters, party agents, observers, and the media to adhere strictly to the provisions of the law, regulations, and guidelines to ensure seamless electoral processes.
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Details of the By-elections
The by-elections will cover two senatorial districts (Anambra South and Edo Central), five federal constituencies (Ovia South West/Ovia South East in Edo, Babura/Garki in Jigawa, Chikun/Kajuru in Kaduna, Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North in Ogun, and Ibadan North in Oyo), and nine state constituencies (Ganye in Adamawa, Onitsha North I in Anambra, Zaria Kewaye and Basawa in Kaduna, Bagwai/Shanono in Kano, Dekina/Okura in Kogi, Mariga in Niger, Karim Lamido I in Taraba, and Kauran Namoda South in Zamfara). Additionally, court-ordered re-run elections in Enugu South I State Constituency (Enugu) and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency (Kano) will occur simultaneously. These elections involve 3,553,659 registered voters across 32 local government areas, 356 wards, and 6,987 polling units, with INEC deploying 30,451 officials.
The by-elections were necessitated by the resignation or death of serving members of the national and state assemblies. INEC noted that two state constituencies—Khana II in Rivers and Talata Mafara South in Zamfara—will not hold by-elections due to a state of emergency and a legal challenge, respectively.
Sensitive Materials and Campaign Regulations
INEC confirmed that all non-sensitive materials have been delivered, and the final consignment of sensitive materials will be distributed on Friday, August 15, 2025. In Yobe, for instance, stakeholders, including political parties, were invited to inspect these materials for transparency, with five parties (ADC, APC, APGA, NNPP, and PDP) fielding candidates. The BVAS devices are ready, and ad hoc staff recruitment, training, security, and logistics arrangements are complete.
INEC reminded political parties and candidates that campaigns ended at midnight on Thursday, August 14, 2025, urging strict compliance with electoral laws to avoid disruptions. The commission warned that violations could undermine the process.
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR)
INEC also announced the resumption of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), starting with online pre-registration on Monday, August 18, 2025, followed by physical registration on August 25, 2025, at 811 INEC state and local government offices. Eligible citizens (Nigerians aged 18 or older who have not previously registered) can register, transfer their registration, or replace lost/damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). INEC emphasised that double or multiple registrations are punishable under the law.
FCT Area Council Election
For the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election scheduled for February 21, 2026, 17 political parties uploaded nomination forms for 637 candidates (six chairmen and 62 councillors) by the deadline of 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 11, 2025. INEC will publish the candidates’ personal particulars (Form EC9 and accompanying credentials) on Monday, August 18, 2025, in all six FCT Area Council offices, as per Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022. Aspirants can challenge nominations in a Federal High Court if they believe a candidate’s information is false, per Section 29(5). The final candidate list will be published on September 22, 2025, at least 150 days before the election, as required by Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act.
Candidate and Party Regulations
INEC has urged political parties to field fresh candidates for the by-elections, emphasising adherence to the nomination timeline (July 17–21, 2025, for primaries; July 22–26, 2025, for submission of forms). Notably, the Labour Party (LP) and four other parties were excluded from the Edo by-elections due to issues with candidate nominations, as confirmed by INEC on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. This aligns with Oluchi Opara’s claim in a related article that INEC did not publish Julius Abure’s candidates for the Edo by-elections, citing their invalidity.
INEC stressed that parties must comply with the Electoral Act 2022, particularly regarding access to public facilities for campaigns, warning against the use of incumbency to disadvantage opponents. The commission is collaborating with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to address violations.
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