The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a detailed schedule for elections taking place in 2025 and 2026, along with plans to resume the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
The announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to a statement on INEC’s official X (formerly Twitter) page, the Commission is preparing for a busy electoral season. The timetable includes five major elections:
Bye-elections in 12 states – August 16, 2025, Anambra Governorship Election – November 8, 2025, FCT Area Council Elections – February 21, 2026, Ekiti Governorship Election – June 20, 2026 and Osun Governorship Election – August 8, 2026
Professor Yakubu also announced the resumption of Continuous Voter Registration. Online pre-registration will begin on August 18, 2025, while physical registration at INEC offices and centers will start on August 25, 2025.
For Anambra State, CVR will begin earlier next week in preparation for the November governorship election.
The registration will be conducted across all 326 wards in the state to ensure a complete and updated voters’ register, as required by law.
Yakubu welcomed two new National Commissioners, Professor Sunday Aja and Abdulrazak Yusuf, along with six newly appointed RECs attending their first meeting.
He reminded the commissioners that their roles are full-time and require consistent commitment.
He also addressed public concerns over Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022, which deals with reviewing election results. He said INEC will release additional guidelines this week to clarify the section, and the document will be made publicly available on INEC’s platforms.
The meeting followed extensive discussions with political parties, civil society groups, the media, and security agencies, aiming to improve electoral processes across the country.
