Bye-Election: INEC to present Certificates of Return to winners on Thursday

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has announced that it will present Certificates of Return to winners of federal legislative seats in last Saturday’s bye-elections.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Sam Olumekun disclosed this in a statement Tuesday in Abuja.

“In line with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC will present Certificates of Return to Senators-elect for Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts, as well as the five newly elected members of the House of Representatives, on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at its national headquarters in Abuja.

“The constituencies include Ovie North East and Ovie South West (Edo State), Babura/Garki (Jigawa State), Chikun/Kajuru (Kaduna State), Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North (Ogun State), and Ibadan North (Oyo State)”, he said.

For state constituencies, INEC said its Certificates of Return will be presented by Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs in the respective states on Friday, August 22, 2025.

These include Ganye (Adamawa), Onitsha North 1 (Anambra), Basawa and Zaria/Kewaye (Kaduna), Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa (Kano), Okura (Kogi), Munya (Niger), and Karim Lamido 1 (Taraba).

INEC confirmed that declarations and returns were successfully made in two senatorial districts, all five federal constituencies, and eight of the state constituencies.

However, the Kaura Namoda South State Constituency election in Zamfara State remains inconclusive.

The Returning Officer reported being unable to make a declaration due to violence that disrupted voting in five polling units across two wards.

He said a total of 3,572 registered voters were affected, with 3,265 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) already collected. 

“Since the margin of lead was 1,662—less than the number of affected voters—the Commission invoked Section 24(3) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2022 to order a supplementary poll.

“The supplementary election has been fixed for Thursday, August 21, 2025, in the affected polling units”, he stated.

Meanwhile, INEC said the two re-run elections ordered by the Election Petition Appeal Tribunals in Enugu and Kano states have now been concluded after previous disruptions by violence.

In Enugu South 1 State Constituency, Ngene Bright Emeka of the Labour Party (LP) emerged winner, while Ya’u Garba Gwarmai of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner in the Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State.

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