INEC unveils 2025-2026 elections plan, resumes voter registration

News Update

THE Independent National Electoral Commission has unveiled a comprehensive electoral timetable for 2025 and 2026, including five major elections and the nationwide resumption of Continuous Voter Registration.

This announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, during the second quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The electoral body, in a statement on its official X handle, said it is gearing up for a busy period, with a series of crucial polls scheduled across various states.

In the statement, the INEC Chairman said, “The five major elections highlighted in the new timetable include bye-elections in 12 states, slated for August 16, 2025, followed by the Anambra State Governorship election on November 8, 2025. Looking into 2026, the schedule includes Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on February 21, 2026, the Ekiti State Governorship election on June 20, 2026, and the Osun State Governorship election on August 8, 2026.”

Yakubu also announced the nationwide resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise. “Online pre-registration will commence on August 18, 2025, followed by in-person registration across the country from August 25, 2025. For Anambra State, ahead of its governorship election, the CVR will begin earlier, next week, and will be conducted simultaneously in all 326 wards to ensure the compilation of a new voters’ register at least 90 days before the election, as required by law”, he said.

During the meeting, Yakubu welcomed two newly appointed National Commissioners, Professor Sunday Aja and Abdulrazak Yusuf, as well as six recently sworn-in RECs attending the meeting for the first time.

He emphasised the critical role of RECs in election management, urging them to proactively implement policy and procedural issues without constant prompting from the Headquarters.

Addressing concerns regarding the interpretation of Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 on the review of election results, the INEC Chairman stated that the Commission is working on a supplementary regulation and guidelines to provide clarity.

He assured that this document would be uploaded to INEC’s official platforms for public information as early as this week.

“I wish to remind you that your work does not begin as the General Election approaches. You are full-time Commissioners,” Professor Yakubu remarked, underscoring the continuous nature of electoral duties and the need for sustained commitment from all officials.

“You can only effectively discharge your responsibilities when you are knowledgeable and committed”, he said.

The meeting, which followed extensive consultations with political parties, civil society organisations, the media, and election security agencies, aimed to address key issues arising from these engagements and strategise for improved electoral service delivery across Nigeria.