The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled Saturday, June 20, 2026, for the conduct of bye-elections across six states.
The announcement came as the Commission formally received a newly appointed National Commissioner, Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (rtd.), at its headquarters in Abuja.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed the development during a brief induction ceremony, stating that the bye-elections will be conducted simultaneously with the Ekiti State Governorship Election which is also scheduled for 20 June 2026.
According to him, the elections will fill legislative vacancies spanning multiple tiers. These include senatorial seats in Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Ondo States, alongside a State House of Assembly seat in Kebbi State and a House of Representatives seat in Kano State.
“We are going into some off-cycle elections very soon. The Ekiti State Governorship Election is scheduled for June 20, 2026. On the same date, the Commission will conduct bye-elections to fill vacant seats,” Amupitan said, reiterating INEC’s readiness to deliver credible polls.
He described the newly sworn-in National Commissioner as a seasoned administrator with a strong blend of military and electoral experience. Malafa, who previously contributed to INEC’s logistics operations and served as Director of Legal Services in the Nigerian Navy, is expected to bolster the Commission’s institutional capacity.
Reaffirming INEC’s constitutional mandate, the Chairman emphasized the Commission’s commitment to conducting transparent and credible elections at all levels of governance.
“Our responsibility is clear. We are committed to conducting elections into the offices of the President, National Assembly, Governors, State Houses of Assembly and Area Councils in a credible and transparent manner,” he stated.
In her remarks, Malafa expressed appreciation for her appointment and pledged to contribute to the Commission’s objectives.
“I’m glad to be here and I thank you for the warm reception. I look forward to working with everyone for the development and stability of our country, and for the success of forthcoming elections,” she said.
Meanwhile, INEC has intensified efforts to enhance its electoral training framework,as it held a two-day Post-Election Training Audit (PETA) and Pre-Training Assessment Workshop (PRETA) in Abuja from April 29 to 30, 2026.
The workshop, convened at Silver Green Hotel, reviewed operational lessons from the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election and the 2026 Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections. It also laid the groundwork for improved training systems ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
Declaring the session open, Acting Director-General of TEI, Ibrahim Sani, underscored the centrality of training to electoral credibility, noting that the performance of poll workers directly shapes public trust in election outcomes.
“The electorate’s perception of fairness, credibility and inclusivity of an election is largely determined by the performance of poll workers,” he said, cautioning against the risks posed by inadequately trained personnel.
He commended election officials for improved performance in recent elections, attributing the gains to strengthened training mechanisms, while urging participants to critically assess past processes and recommend practical reforms.
In his welcome remarks, TEI’s Acting Administrative Secretary, Nasiru Umar, highlighted the importance of conducting timely evaluations.
“It is more profitable to examine what went right or wrong now that these experiences are still fresh in our minds,” he noted, encouraging candid contributions.
Also speaking, Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, described the combined PETA/PRETA initiative as both timely and strategic, stressing that continuous refinement of training systems is essential.
“What worked well must be institutionalised; what did not must be improved with urgency and precision,” she said.
Providing further technical insight, Director of Training, Dr. Binta Kasim Mohammed, explained that the audit covers the full training lifecycle—from recruitment and selection of personnel to logistics, facilitation quality, and election-day performance.
She added that the exercise would assess coordination mechanisms, stakeholder engagement—including collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as well as security arrangements and reporting systems at training venues.
Goodwill messages from key departments reinforced the Commission’s commitment to institutional learning. The ICT Department, represented by Deputy Director Anthonia Idemudia, emphasized alignment with global best practices, while Director of Electoral Operations, Isah Magagi Gumi, stressed interdepartmental synergy.
INEC noted that the integration of PETA and PRETA reflects a deliberate strategy to consolidate lessons from past elections while proactively strengthening preparations for future polls.
The Commission expressed confidence that outcomes from the workshop would further enhance its training architecture and sustain improvements in delivering free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections nationwide.
