The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set Saturday, June 20, 2026, for the conduct of bye-elections in six states of the Federation. The commission stated this in a statement signed by its National Commissioner, Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (rtd.), who was recently sworn in.
This was disclosed on Thursday by the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, at a brief ceremony held at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja to receive the new National Commissioner.
He said the bye-elections would hold same date with the Ekiti State Governorship Election.
He said the elections will also be for senatorial vacancies in Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers and Ondo states, a State House of Assembly seat in Kebbi state and a House of Representatives seat in Kano state.
“We’re going into some off-cycle elections very soon. Next Ekiti State Governorship Election Date: 20th June, 2026
On the same day, the Commission will conduct bye-elections to fill vacant seats,” the INEC Chairman said.
“The senatorial seats declared vacant in Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers and Ondo States will be filled, along with the Kebbi State House of Assembly seat and the House of Representatives seat in Kano State,” he added.
Commenting on the appointment of the new National Commissioner, Prof. Amupitan described Rear Admiral Malafa (rtd.) as a seasoned professional with vast experience in military service and electoral operations.
He said that she had previously worked with the Commission in the area of logistics and also served as the Director of Legal Services in the Nigerian Navy, bringing with her a wealth of administrative and legal expertise to her new role.
The Chairman reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to its constitutional mandate.
“We have a duty. “We are committed to conducting elections into the offices of President, National Assembly, Governors, State Houses of Assembly and Area Councils in a credible and transparent manner”, he said.
The newly sworn-in National Commissioner, in her remarks, thanked the Commission for the reception accorded her and pledged to contribute meaningfully to the Commission’s work.
“I’m glad to be here and I appreciate the warm welcome. I look forward to work with all for the development and stability of our country and for the success of coming elections,” she said.
The event was attended by National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, the Director-General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), senior officials of the Commission and family members of the new National Commissioner.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also intensified efforts to enhance the quality of its electoral training programmes with the commencement of a two-day Post-Election Training Audit (PETA) and Pre-Training Assessment Workshop (PRETA) in Abuja, as part of preparations for the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
Held at Silver Green Hotel, Abuja, from April 29 to 30, 2026, the exercise reviewed training activities deployed during the 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election and the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, and set the tone for improved training delivery ahead of the forthcoming polls.
The Acting Director General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), Prof. Ibrahim Sani, declared the workshop open and said the audit was central to sustaining electoral credibility, noting that the performance of poll workers remains a defining factor in public confidence.
“The perception of fairness, credibility and inclusivity of an election is largely determined by the performance of poll workers,” he said, warning that the use of poorly trained personnel poses significant risks to the integrity of elections.
He praised the performance of the election officials in the Anambra and FCT elections, describing the results as a reflection of the improved quality of their training, while encouraging the participants to critically review past exercises and proffer actionable reforms.
The Acting Administrative Secretary of TEI, Malam Nasiru Umar, in his welcome address said the audit would offer objective insights on the effectiveness of training activities and help to mitigate lapses ahead of future elections.
“Now that these experiences are still fresh in our minds, it is more profitable to examine what went right or wrong,” he said, urging participants to be frank and constructive in their contributions.
Also speaking, the Director of Planning and Monitoring, Mrs Helen Ajayi, described the combined PETA and PRETA engagements as timely and strategic, stressing that electoral training remains a critical pillar for credible elections.
She called for a “deeper interrogation of training processes, materials, logistics and field performance, “What worked well must be institutionalised; what did not must be improved with urgency and precision,” she said.
In a document outlining the objectives of the PETA/PRETA exercise, the Director of Training, Dr. Binta Kasim Mohammed, said the audit is designed to comprehensively review the implementation and management of training activities for the Anambra and FCT elections, while charting a clear course for the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls, adding more insight into the purpose of the workshop.
She said the exercise covered key aspects of the training cycle such as recruitment and qualification of participants, shortlisting, collaboration between departments and stakeholders’ engagement, including NYSC.
The objectives also include assessment of training logistics, suitability of venues, adequacy of materials, quality of facilitation and effectiveness of training delivery, especially in relation to election processes and technology deployment.
Dr. Mohammed also underscored the need for coordination, supervision, security at training venues, reporting systems and the conduct of participants, adding that the audit would examine the results, including the performance of ad hoc personnel and the effect of training on election day operations.
She said the exercise would also identify challenges and produce recommendations to strengthen future training frameworks.
Key departments of the Commission delivered goodwill messages.
The Director of ICT, represented by the Deputy Director, ICT, Mrs. Anthonia Idemudia said the Commission is committed to continuous improvement and alignment with global best practices.
“We are here because we are looking to constantly improve our processes and procedures,” she said, urging participants to be open and frank about where they could be improved.
Likewise, the Director of Electoral Operations, Mallam Isah Magagi Gumi, stressed the need for synergy among departments for effective training outcomes.
The Commission said the combined PETA and PRETA approach highlights its commitment to institutional learning, reviewing past experiences while also proactively preparing for future elections.
It was confident that the outcome of the workshop would further enhance the capacity of its training architecture and consolidate gains in the delivery of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections across Nigeria.
