The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to release a supplementary document to its 2022 Regulations and Guidelines to provide clearer procedures for reviewing election results—particularly as outlined in Section 65 of the Electoral Act.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this announcement during the second quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Yakubu, the Commission is gearing up for a busy electoral calendar, with five significant elections scheduled over the next 13 months. These include:
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By-elections across 12 states on August 16, 2025
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Anambra State governorship election on November 8, 2025
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FCT Area Council elections on February 21, 2026
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Ekiti State governorship election on June 20, 2026
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Osun State governorship election on August 8, 2026
Yakubu highlighted growing concerns over the varied interpretations of Section 65 of the Electoral Act, which deals with the review of election declarations and returns.
“In line with our mandate to issue regulations, guidelines, and manuals to operationalize the Electoral Act, the Commission is developing a supplementary document to the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines. This will clarify the procedures for reviewing election outcomes,” he said. “Once approved—possibly as early as this week—the document will be published on the Commission’s website and other public platforms.”
The INEC chairman also urged RECs to approach their roles as ongoing responsibilities, not just tasks centered around general elections. He emphasized that the credibility of Nigeria’s elections hinges on continuous engagement and consistent commitment at the state level.
“You are full-time commissioners, and your responsibilities do not begin only when general elections draw near,” Yakubu said. “Some of you have already shown initiative, but more effort is needed. You don’t need major workshops to train your staff—capacity-building can be continuous and localized.”
He further urged the RECs to remain proactive and committed. “You can only fulfill your duties effectively if you are knowledgeable and dedicated. We each have a role in this multi-stakeholder process and must deliver on our responsibilities,” he added.
In another key announcement, Yakubu confirmed that the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will resume soon. Online pre-registration will begin on August 18, while in-person registration starts on August 25.
In Anambra State—where a governorship election is scheduled for November—the CVR will commence earlier, beginning next week in all 326 wards simultaneously.
The meeting also marked the first attendance of two newly appointed National Commissioners, Profs. Sunday Aja and Abdulrazak Yusuf, along with six recently sworn-in RECs. Four of these RECs participated in the consultative meeting for the first time.