The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, June 20, 2026, for the conduct of by-elections in six states of the federation, even as it formally welcomed a newly sworn-in National Commissioner, Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (rtd.).
Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) disclosed this yesterday at a brief ceremony held at the INEC headquarters in Abuja to receive the new national commissioner.
He said the by-elections would be conducted alongside the Ekiti State governorship election scheduled for the same date.
INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, in a statement issued yesterday said the elections would 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.
Amupitan noted: “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 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.”
Speaking on the appointment of the new national commissioner, Amupitan described Malafa 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.
Speaking, Malafa 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.
Meanwhile, the commission 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 in 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.