ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to release a supplementary document to its 2022 Regulations and Guidelines, aimed at clarifying the procedures for reviewing election results under Section 65 of the Electoral Act.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during a quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Tuesday.
“As we approach the by-elections, off-cycle governorship elections, and the 2027 general election, the commission is concerned with the various interpretations given to Section 65 of the Electoral Act,” Yakubu said.
He added that the supplementary guidelines, expected to be finalized and released as early as this week, would be made publicly available on the commission’s website and other platforms.
INEC is preparing for a packed electoral calendar over the next 13 months, including:
By-elections in 12 states (August 16, 2025)
Anambra governorship election (November 8, 2025)
FCT Area Council elections (February 21, 2026)
Ekiti governorship election (June 20, 2026)
Osun governorship election (August 8, 2026)
The INEC chairman reminded RECs that election management is a continuous responsibility, not one limited to general elections.
“You are full-time commissioners. There are policy and procedural issues already determined by the commission which you need to implement without prompting from the Headquarters in Abuja,” Yakubu said.
He stressed the importance of year-round commitment at the state level, noting that effective logistics, voter engagement, and the implementation of reforms depend on the RECs.
“You do not need an elaborate conference or workshop to build the capacity of your staff... I encourage you to intensify your efforts so that we will play our part in what is a multi-stakeholder responsibility more effectively,” he added.
Yakubu also announced that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume nationwide on August 18 for online pre-registration and August 25 for in-person registration. In Anambra State, where a gubernatorial election is scheduled for November, CVR will begin next week in all 326 wards.
The meeting also welcomed two new National Commissioners—Profs Sunday Aja and Abdulrazak Yusuf—as well as six newly sworn-in RECs. Four of them attended the consultative meeting for the first time.
