INEC Fixes Date for Bye-Elections in Rivers, Kano and Four Other States

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced Saturday, June 20, 2026, as the date for a series of bye-elections to fill vacant legislative seats across the country.

The elections will take place in six states, including Rivers State, Kano State, Kebbi State, Ondo State, Nasarawa State, and Enugu State.

This decision means that voters in the affected constituencies will return to the polls to elect new representatives for positions left vacant due to death or resignation.

The exercise will cover four senatorial districts, one seat in the House of Representatives, and one State House of Assembly seat.

INEC confirmed that the bye-elections will hold on the same day as the governorship election in Ekiti State, making June 20 a major political date on 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, made the announcement during 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.”