Ola Ameen
Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) across the country to scale up preparations and operational readiness as Nigeria enters a critical phase of its electoral calendar. This call to action was made during the second quarterly consultative meeting between the Commission and the RECs, held on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who presided over the meeting, laid bare the weighty responsibilities facing the RECs. He emphasized that election management is not a seasonal task but a continuous, full-time obligation. He reminded the Commissioners that proactive engagement with electoral policies, innovations, and stakeholders at the state and local levels must be sustained year-round.
“Your work does not begin as the General Election approaches. You are full-time Commissioners. There are policy and procedural issues already determined by the Commission which you need to implement without prompting from the Headquarters in Abuja,” the Chairman stated in his firm yet encouraging tone.
Professor Yakubu while welcoming two newly appointed National Commissioners; Professor Sunday Aja and Mr. Abdulrazak Yusuf, who were attending the REC meeting for the first time. He also acknowledged six recently sworn-in RECs, four of whom were joining the quarterly meeting for the first time. With these appointments, the Commission now has a full complement of RECs across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, a development the Chairman described as vital for operational synergy and consistency nationwide.
Presenting the Commission’s electoral calendar for the next one year, the INEC Chairman highlighted five major elections scheduled between August 2025 and August 2026. These include bye-elections in 12 states slated for August 16, 2025; the Anambra State Governorship Election on November 8, 2025; Area Council Elections in the FCT on February 21, 2026; the Ekiti State Governorship Election on June 20, 2026; and the Osun State Governorship Election on August 8, 2026.
Prof. Yakubu noted that each of these elections is guided by a published timetable and schedule of activities, several of which are already underway. Political campaigns have commenced in Anambra State, while party primaries have been concluded for the FCT Area Council elections. Additionally, the statutory Notice of Election has been published for the Ekiti State Governorship poll.
On voter registration, the INEC Chairman announced that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise would resume in two phases: online pre-registration from August 18, 2025, and in-person registration from August 25, 2025. However, in a strategic departure from the nationwide schedule, the CVR in Anambra State is set to commence next week. The exercise will take place simultaneously in all 326 Wards across the state to ensure compliance with legal provisions requiring the voters’ register to be concluded no later than 90 days before the election.
He added that the implementation plan for the CVR would be discussed in detail during the closed-door session and noted that the timetable and registration locations had already been made public.
Addressing growing public debate over Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022, which grants INEC powers to review election results, Prof. Yakubu disclosed that the Commission is finalizing a supplement to the existing Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022. This supplement, he said, is intended to clarify the scope and application of the provision, ensure uniform understanding across all levels, and promote transparency in the electoral process.
“As soon as the Commission takes a decision—perhaps as early as this week—the supplementary Regulations and Guidelines will be uploaded to our website and other platforms for public information,” the Chairman announced.
He emphasized that this move is part of a broader effort by the Commission to safeguard electoral integrity and enhance public confidence as the country builds toward the 2027 General Election.
Prof. Yakubu charged the RECs to take greater ownership of electoral processes in their respective jurisdictions. He tasked them with improving access to polling units, decongesting overcrowded centres, sanitizing the voters’ register, strengthening stakeholder engagement, and ensuring effective logistics and security coordination.
“You can only effectively discharge your responsibilities when you are knowledgeable and committed,” he said, stressing the importance of continuous capacity-building for staff and the need for RECs to lead by example in their states.
The meeting moved into a closed working session to address operational matters and follow up on action points from recent engagements with political parties, civil society organizations, the media, and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES)
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