The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states will take place on Saturday, June 20, and Saturday, August 8, 2026, respectively.
Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Friday during the swearing-in ceremony of six newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) recently confirmed by the National Assembly.
Prof. Yakubu also revealed that INEC is finalising arrangements to conduct bye-elections to fill 17 vacant seats in both the National and State Houses of Assembly.
Ekiti Election Schedule
According to the timetable released by the Commission, political parties are expected to conduct their primaries in Ekiti between October 20 and November 10, 2025. Parties are to upload their candidates’ nomination forms on the INEC portal by 6:00 p.m. on December 22, 2025.
The final list of candidates will be published on January 18, 2026. Political campaigns are expected to begin on January 21, 2026, and will end 24 hours before the election.
Osun Election Timetable
In Osun State, party primaries are scheduled to hold between November 24 and December 15, 2025. The deadline for submission of nomination forms is 6:00 p.m. on February 9, 2026.
INEC will publish the final list of candidates on March 9, 2026, while campaigns will commence on March 11 and conclude a day before the poll.
Prof. Yakubu explained that INEC is legally bound to release election notices at least 360 days before the date of the elections, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He said: “In compliance with the law, the Commission has approved the schedule of activities for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections. The last elections in these states were held in 2022, and the tenure of the current governors will end in 2026.”
Deployment of New RECs
INEC has also deployed the newly appointed RECs across various states. Those deployed include Sa’ad Idris to Gombe, Johnson Sinikiem to Cross River, Feyijimi Ibiyemi to Ogun, Mukhtar Gajiram to Taraba, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako to Abia, and Umar Garba to Sokoto.
Yakubu noted that with the swearing-in of the six new RECs, all vacant positions in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have now been filled.
He described the redeployment of RECs as a normal administrative exercise, which may happen from time to time.
The INEC boss charged the RECs to uphold the Commission’s values and operate within the law. He warned that any act of defiance or misconduct will be met with consequences.
“You must always act in line with the Electoral Act, the Code of Conduct for RECs, and the Commission’s guidelines. Do not act outside the law or think that there won’t be consequences. We will hold you accountable,” he warned.
CVR and Bye-Elections Coming Soon
Yakubu also addressed growing public concerns over the delay in resuming the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and conducting outstanding bye-elections.
He said preparations are almost complete and full details would be made public soon, especially as the Commission gears up for the Anambra governorship election.
New RECs Pledge Commitment
Speaking on behalf of the newly sworn-in RECs, Sa’ad Idris assured Nigerians of their commitment to free, fair, and credible elections.
He pledged that they would discharge their duties with integrity and professionalism, in line with the Constitution, Electoral Act, and INEC’s guidelines.
“We are fully aware of the responsibilities before us and are committed to ensuring every vote counts. We will work with political parties, civil society, the media, and security agencies to deliver credible elections,” Idris said.
