INEC Announces Dates for 2026 Ekiti and Osun Governorship Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the official dates for the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

According to the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Ekiti election will hold on Saturday, June 20, 2026, while Osun voters will head to the polls on Saturday, August 8, 2026.

Professor Yakubu revealed this during the swearing-in of six new Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja. He emphasized that INEC is legally bound to release election timetables at least 360 days before election day, which the Commission has fulfilled.

For Ekiti State, party primaries will run from October 20 to November 10, 2025. Political parties are expected to submit the names of their candidates by 6pm on December 22, 2025. The final list of candidates will be made public on January 18, 2026, with campaign activities starting January 21, 2026, and ending a day before the election.

In Osun State, the schedule begins a little later. Party primaries will take place between November 24 and December 15, 2025, while candidate nominations must be submitted by February 9, 2026.

The final candidate list will be published on March 9, 2026, and campaigns will officially run from March 11 until August 7, 2026.

Professor Yakubu assured the public that the full election timetable is available on INEC’s website and social media pages for transparency and to guide political parties.

He also announced the redeployment of some Resident Electoral Commissioners across the country to help strengthen preparations.

These include Sa’ad Idris to Gombe, Johnson Sinikiem to Cross River, Feyijimi Ibiyemi to Ogun, Mukhtar Gajiram to Taraba, Chukwuemeka Ibeziako to Abia, and Umar Garba to Sokoto.

The INEC Chairman urged the new and redeployed RECs to carry out their duties with integrity, follow the electoral laws strictly, and remain transparent and accountable in their actions. He warned that any act of misconduct or defiance would be met with consequences.

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In addition, Professor Yakubu addressed public concerns over the delay in conducting bye-elections and restarting the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

He confirmed that 17 bye-elections are currently pending and assured that the Commission is finalizing preparations. He said more details would be shared with the public soon, especially with the upcoming governorship election in Anambra State in view.

Speaking on behalf of the newly appointed commissioners, Sa’ad Idris promised that they would remain loyal to Nigeria’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC’s guidelines.

He stressed their commitment to free, fair, and credible elections and said they would work closely with political parties, civil society groups, the media, and security agencies.

He also noted the importance of voter education and active citizen participation, promising that under their watch, every vote would count.

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