The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to publish a supplementary document to its 2022 Regulations and Guidelines to clarify procedures for reviewing election results, especially with regard to Section 65 of the Electoral Act.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during the commission’s second quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The commission is currently preparing for a busy electoral season, which includes five major elections over the next 13 months. These are by-elections in 12 states scheduled for August 16, 2025; the Anambra State governorship election on November 8, 2025; the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory on February 21, 2026; the Ekiti governorship election on June 20, 2026; and the Osun governorship election on August 8, 2026.
Yakubu stated, “As we approach the by-elections, the off-cycle governorship elections and ultimately the 2027 general election, the commission is concerned with the various interpretations given to the provision of Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 on the review of election results.”
He continued, “Pursuant to our powers to issue regulations, guidelines and manuals to give effect to the provisions of the Electoral Act and for its administration, the commission is working on a supplement to the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022, to provide clarity on the review of declaration and return at elections.
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“As soon as the commission takes a decision, perhaps as early as this week, the supplementary Regulations and Guidelines will be uploaded to our website and other platforms for public information.”
The INEC chairman also urged RECs to see their responsibilities as year-round and not just activities reserved for general elections.
“I wish to remind you that your work does not begin as the general election approaches. You are full-time commissioners. There are policy and procedural issues already determined by the commission which you need to implement without prompting from the Headquarters in Abuja.
“Some of you are already doing so, but you need to intensify your effort. You do not need an elaborate conference or workshop to build the capacity of your staff to improve on their knowledge of new policies and practical innovations introduced by the commission to improve electoral service delivery to Nigerians,” Yakubu stressed.
He emphasized that RECs must take a proactive approach. “You can only effectively discharge your responsibilities when you are knowledgeable and committed.
“I encourage you to intensify your effort so that we will play our part in what is a multi-stakeholder responsibility more effectively.
“This is a multi-stakeholder responsibility. We must play our part more effectively,” he concluded.
Yakubu also announced that Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume nationwide on August 18 for online pre-registration and on August 25 for physical, in-person registration.
However, he noted that in Anambra State, where a governorship election is due in November, the CVR will begin next week and will be conducted across all 326 wards simultaneously.
The meeting, held at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja, also welcomed two new National Commissioners—Professors Sunday Aja and Abdulrazak Yusuf—as well as six recently sworn-in Resident Electoral Commissioners. Four of the new RECs participated in the consultative meeting for the first time.
