Onyekachi Eze 
…Fixes March 20 and April 10 for primaries
…FCT Area Council poll holds Feb. 21, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties wishing to participate in the November 8 Anambra State governorship election, between March 20 and April 10, to conduct acceptable primaries for the nomination of their candidates.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at first quarterly meeting with Chairmen and Secretaries of registered political parties in Abuja on Wednesday, also told the party leaders to forward their schedule of activities for the nomination of candidates for the election, to the commission to enable it work together and plan better for the deployment of personnel and resources for the monitoring of their primaries and campaign activities.
This, according to him, is to avoid the last minute rush with the attendant inability to meet deadlines and unnecessarily dissipate energy and lean resources.
Prof. Yakubu however regretted that only a few parties have complied since the request was made in October last year.
He therefore, gave parties that have not yet complied, on or before the end of this week to submit the details.
“Already, the notice of election has been published over two months ago as provided in the timetable. The next activity is the conduct of primaries by political parties,” he stated.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that commission conducted 51 re-run elections, bye-elections and off-cycle elections, as well as other electoral activities, in 2024, but said 2025 will be more busier for the commission.
He announced that the tenure of the current Chairmen and councillors of the six Area Councils of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ends next year, and fixed February 21, 2026 for the conduct of election into the positions.
The FCT Area Council is the only place in the country where INEC conducts local government election.
Prof. Yakubu stated that the notice for the election will be published February 26, while party primaries will be held from June 9 to 30 and candidate nomination portal opened from July 21 to August 11.
“The final list of candidates will be published on 22nd September 2025. Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 24th September 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 19th February 2026,” Prof. Yakubu stated.
He also stated that the commission will come up with plans for other routine activities such as the resumption of nationwide Continuous Voter registration (CVR) exercise and the conduct of outstanding bye-elections.
“Over the last one and a half years since the inauguration of the current National and state Assemblies in June 2023, vacancies have occurred in 23 constituencies as a result of death of serving members or their voluntary resignation for executive positions at federal, state and even Local Government levels as ministers, commissioners, Chairman of a Local Government and even board appointment.
“While the commission has conducted nine bye-elections early last year, 14 more vacancies have occurred since then.
“They are unpredictable, unbudgeted and difficult to plan in advance.
“Worse, some bye-elections lead to more bye-elections,” he said, adding that there were situations where a bye-election in one senatorial district was won by a serving member of the House of Representatives from the same district thereby creating another vacancy.
Also, according to him, a member of the state Assembly won the bye-election to the House of Representatives thereby creating a vacancy in the state Assembly.
“Consequently, one bye-election led to three bye-elections. Not only are these bye-elections costly, they also divert the commission’s attention from its other extensive electoral responsibilities,” Prof. Yakubu regretted.
He restated the call by the commission, for a more cost-effective alternative means of filling vacancies as is the case in other countries, and appealed to stakeholders, including political parties, to join the advocacy and for the National Assembly to amend the law accordingly.
