The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled Saturday, June 20, 2026, for the conduct of bye-elections across six states, while also intensifying preparations for upcoming governorship elections through enhanced training reforms.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed the date on Thursday in Abuja during the formal reception of a newly sworn-in National Commissioner, Jamila Malafa. He noted that the bye-elections would be held simultaneously with the Ekiti State Governorship Election.
According to him, the exercise will fill vacant senatorial seats in Enugu State, Nasarawa State, Rivers State, and Ondo State, alongside a State House of Assembly seat in Kebbi State and a House of Representatives seat in Kano State.
Amupitan described Malafa as a seasoned professional with extensive experience in both military and electoral operations, emphasizing her previous contributions to logistics within INEC and her legal expertise from service in the Nigerian Navy. He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to delivering credible and transparent elections nationwide.
In her remarks, Malafa expressed gratitude for the warm reception and pledged to support efforts aimed at strengthening democratic processes and ensuring successful elections.
Meanwhile, INEC has deepened its electoral training reforms with a two-day Post-Election Training Audit (PETA) and Pre-Training Assessment (PRETA) workshop held in Abuja, as part of preparations for the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
The workshop, organized by The Electoral Institute (TEI), reviewed training conducted during the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election and the 2026 FCT Area Council polls.
Acting Director-General of TEI, Ibrahim Sani, stressed that the credibility of elections largely depends on the competence of poll workers. He warned that inadequate training could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
Other officials, including Nasiru Umar and Helen Ajayi, emphasized the need for critical evaluation of past training exercises to address gaps and improve future performance.
Also speaking, Binta Kasim Mohammed highlighted that the audit covers key aspects such as recruitment, logistics, stakeholder engagement, and election-day performance of ad hoc staff.
INEC said the combined PETA and PRETA initiative reflects its commitment to institutional learning and continuous improvement, expressing confidence that the exercise will strengthen its capacity to deliver free, fair, and inclusive elections across the country.
