Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to issue new guidelines to clarify the review of election results, a move aimed at addressing “various interpretations” of existing law. The announcement was made by INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, during a consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja.
The new supplementary Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022 will provide clarity on the “review of declaration and return at elections” as stipulated in Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022. Professor Yakubu indicated that a decision could be made “as early as this week,” with the guidelines then uploaded to INEC’s public platforms.
This development comes as INEC prepares for a busy electoral calendar over the next year, with five major elections scheduled between August 2025 and August 2026.
Upcoming Elections and Voter Registration
The upcoming elections include:
- Bye-elections in 12 states on August 16, 2025.
- The Anambra State Governorship election on November 8, 2025.
- Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on February 21, 2026.
- The Ekiti Governorship election on June 20, 2026.
- The Osun State Governorship election on August 8, 2026.
The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise is set to resume nationwide on August 18 for online pre-registration and August 25, 2025, for in-person registration. However, for Anambra State, the CVR will commence next week and be conducted simultaneously across all 326 wards to ensure completion at least 90 days before the governorship election.
Commitment to Electoral Integrity
Professor Yakubu emphasised the critical role of RECs as full-time commissioners responsible for implementing policies and innovations at the state level without requiring prompting from headquarters. He urged them to intensify efforts in areas such as enhancing voter access to polling units, cleaning up the voters’ register, deepening engagement with stakeholders, and improving the management of electoral logistics and security.
The meeting also served to introduce newly appointed National Commissioners and six RECs, including four attending for the first time. It follows a week of consultations with political parties, civil society organisations, the media, and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), with outcomes from these engagements set to inform discussions.
Professor Yakubu reiterated that elections and electoral activities are state-based, making the RECs’ role as managers of personnel and resources vital for success. He affirmed that INEC is committed to its part in what he described as a “multi-stakeholder responsibility” to ensure effective electoral service delivery.
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