By Peter Omopo
Abuja | June 28, 2025 — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on Nigeria’s security chiefs to ramp up preparations for a series of crucial electoral activities slated for the next six months.
This appeal was made on Friday during a high-level meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), convened at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and representatives from various security and intelligence agencies.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, highlighted the upcoming electoral calendar, warning that several of the scheduled events would require substantial security deployments.
“Over the next six months, the commission has lined up critical elections and electoral activities. Today’s meeting takes place amidst ongoing preparations. Three of these activities demand significant security presence,” Yakubu said.
Key Activities on the Electoral Calendar
The chairman outlined three major engagements requiring immediate attention:
- By-Elections on August 16, 2025:
Elections will be held in 16 constituencies across 12 states, involving 32 local government areas, 356 wards, and nearly 7,000 polling units. The vacancies include two senatorial seats, five federal constituencies, and nine state assembly seats.Additionally, court-ordered rerun elections will take place in Enugu South I (Enugu State) and Ghari/Tsanyawa (Kano State) state constituencies, where earlier polls were marred by violence and disruptions.
- Anambra Governorship Election – November 8, 2025:
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Anambra will run from July 8 to July 17 across all 326 wards. Yakubu noted a calmer security climate compared to the 2021 gubernatorial poll but urged security forces to remain vigilant.“I urge you to use the CVR period to fine-tune your preparations for securing the forthcoming elections,” he advised.
- Nationwide CVR Resumption:
A national voter registration exercise will commence with online pre-registration on August 18, 2025, followed by in-person registration starting August 25, 2025.
Prof. Yakubu also acknowledged growing concerns raised by political parties, civil society organisations, and the media about emerging flashpoints and potential threats to the electoral process. He urged security agencies to take proactive measures to ensure peace and order throughout the period.
“We are entering a busy and delicate electoral phase. Collaboration and vigilance across all security fronts will be critical to a peaceful and credible process,” he concluded.
