INEC Fixes Date for Bye-Elections in Six States (FULL LIST)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially scheduled a series of bye-elections for Saturday, June 20, 2026, aimed at filling vacant legislative seats across the country.

These elections will take place in six states: Rivers, Kano, Kebbi, Ondo, Nasarawa, and Enugu.

Voters in the affected constituencies will have the opportunity to elect new representatives for positions that have become vacant due to circumstances such as death or resignation.

The bye-elections will include contests for four senatorial districts, one seat in the House of Representatives, and one seat in a State House of Assembly.

Additionally, INEC has announced that these bye-elections will occur concurrently with the governorship election in Ekiti State, marking June 20 as a significant date in the electoral calendar.

The four senatorial seats up for contest became vacant under different circumstances. In Ondo State, the seat was vacated by Jimoh Ibrahim following his appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In Rivers State, the vacancy followed the death of Barinada Mpigi. Similarly, the seats in Nasarawa State and Enugu State became vacant after the deaths of Godiya Akwashika and Okey Ezea, respectively.

In addition to the senatorial polls, INEC will also conduct a bye-election to fill a vacant seat in the House of Representatives in Kano State. Another election will be held for a State House of Assembly seat in Kebbi State.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, announced the swearing-in ceremony of a new National Commissioner, Jamila Malafa. He said the Commission is already preparing for what he described as off-cycle elections.

According to him, “We are going into some off-cycle elections very soon. The Ekiti State Governorship Election is scheduled for June 20, 2026. On the same date, the Commission will conduct bye-elections to fill vacant seats.

“The senatorial seats declared vacant in Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers and Ondo States will be filled, alongside the Kebbi State House of Assembly seat and the House of Representatives seat in Kano State.”