INEC Schedules Bye-Elections for June 20, 2026

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that bye-elections will take place on June 20, 2026, to fill vacant legislative seats across six states, including Rivers State and Kano State. This decision follows the need to replace representatives who left their positions due to deaths or resignations.

Specifically, four senatorial districts and several House of Representatives and state assembly seats will be contested. The vacancies include the Ondo State seat vacated by Jimoh Ibrahim after his appointment as Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and the Rivers State seat following the death of Barinada Mpigi.

Other vacancies were created in Nasarawa and Enugu states due to the deaths of Godiya Akwashika and Okei Ezea, respectively. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu made this announcement during the swearing-in ceremony of new commissioner Jamila Malafa.

The bye-elections will coincide with the governorship election in Ekiti State, marking June 20 as a significant date in the electoral calendar.