INEC fixes date for bye-election as Jamila assumes office as new national commissioner

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, June 20, 2026, for the conduct of bye-elections in six states of the Federation, even as it formally welcomed a newly sworn-in National Commissioner, Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (rtd.).

Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Thursday at a brief ceremony held at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja to receive the new National Commissioner.

He said the bye-elections would be conducted alongside the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for the same date.

According to him, the elections will cover senatorial vacancies in Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers and Ondo States, as well as 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,” the INEC Chairman said.

“The senatorial seats declared vacant in Enugu, Nasarawa, Rivers and Ondo States will be filled, alongside the Kebbi State House of Assembly seat and the House of Representatives seat in Kano State,” he added.

Speaking on the appointment of the new National Commissioner, Prof. Amupitan described Rear Admiral Malafa (rtd.) as a seasoned professional with extensive experience spanning military service and electoral operations.

He noted that she had previously worked with the Commission in the area of logistics and served as Director of Legal Services in the Nigerian Navy, bringing a wealth of administrative and legal expertise to her new role.

The Chairman reiterated the Commission’s commitment to its constitutional mandate.

“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 said.

In her remarks, the newly sworn-in National Commissioner expressed appreciation for the reception accorded her and pledged to contribute meaningfully to the Commission’s work.

“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.

The event was attended by National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, the Director-General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), senior officials of the Commission, and family members of the new National Commissioner.

In another development, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, has stepped up efforts to strengthen the quality of its electoral training programmes with the commencement of a two-day Post-Election Training Audit (PETA) and Pre-Training Assessment Workshop (PRETA) in Abuja, as part of preparations for the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

The exercise held at Silver Green Hotel, Abuja, from April 29 to 30, 2026, reviewed training activities deployed during the 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election and the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, while setting the tone for improved training delivery ahead of forthcoming polls.

Declaring the workshop open, the Acting Director General of The Electoral Institute (TEI), Prof. Ibrahim Sani, said the audit was central to sustaining electoral credibility, noting that the performance of poll workers remains a defining factor in public confidence.

“The electorate’s perception of fairness, credibility and inclusivity of an election is largely determined by the performance of poll workers,” he said, warning that deploying poorly trained personnel poses significant risks to the integrity of elections.

He commended election officials for their performance in the Anambra and FCT elections, describing the outcomes as a reflection of improved training quality, while urging participants to critically review past exercises and propose actionable reforms.

In his welcome address, the Acting Administrative Secretary of TEI, Malam Nasiru Umar, said the audit would provide objective insights into the effectiveness of training activities and help mitigate lapses ahead of future elections.

“It is more profitable to examine what went right or wrong now that these experiences are still fresh in our minds,” he said, encouraging participants to be frank and constructive in their contributions.

Also speaking, the Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, described the combined PETA and PRETA engagements as timely and strategic, stressing that electoral training remains a critical pillar for credible elections.

She called for deeper interrogation of training processes, materials, logistics and field performance, “What worked well must be institutionalised; what did not must be improved with urgency and precision,” she said.

Providing further insight into the purpose of the workshop, the Director of Training, Dr. Binta Kasim Mohammed, in a document outlining the objectives of the PETA/PRETA exercise, said the audit is designed to comprehensively review the implementation and management of training activities for the Anambra and FCT elections, while charting a clear course for the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls.

According to her, the exercise focuses on critical components of the training cycle, including recruitment and qualification of participants, shortlisting processes, inter-departmental collaboration, and engagement with stakeholders such as the NYSC.

The objectives also cover assessment of training logistics, suitability of venues, adequacy of materials, quality of facilitation, and the effectiveness of training delivery, particularly in relation to election processes and technology deployment.

Mohammed further highlighted the importance of coordination, supervision, security at training venues, reporting systems, and the overall conduct of participants, noting that the audit would evaluate outcomes, including the performance of ad hoc personnel and the impact of training on election day operations.

She added that the exercise would also identify challenges and generate recommendations aimed at strengthening future training frameworks.

Goodwill messages were delivered by key departments of the Commission. The Director of ICT, represented by the Deputy Director, ICT, Anthonia Idemudia, said the Commission remained committed to continuous improvement and alignment with global best practices.

“We are here because we seek to constantly improve our processes and procedures,” she said, urging participants to be open and frank in identifying areas requiring improvement.

Similarly, the Director of Electoral Operations, Mallam Isah Magagi Gumi, emphasised the importance of synergy among departments in achieving effective training outcomes.

The Commission said the combined PETA and PRETA approach underscores its commitment to institutional learning, reviewing past experiences while proactively preparing for future elections.

It expressed confidence that the outcome of the workshop would further enhance the capacity of its training architecture and consolidate gains in the delivery of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections across Nigeria.