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Nigeria Holds By-elections Today Across Many States to Fill Vacant Seats
On Saturday August 16, 2025, Nigerians in different parts of the country went to the polls as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted a series of elections to fill vacant seats in the National Assembly and state legislatures.
The seats became vacant after a mix of resignations, deaths, and court-ordered reruns following disputes from the 2023 general elections.
The elections include two senatorial districts, in Anambra and Edo, five federal constituencies across Ogun, Jigawa, Kaduna, Oyo, and Edo, and nine state assembly constituencies spread across Adamawa, Anambra, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Niger, Taraba, and Zamfara. Two additional reruns were ordered in Enugu South I and Gh ari/Tsanyawa in Kano, where earlier polls were either cancelled or disrupted.
Altogether, more than 3.5 million voters are registered to take part. The process cuts across 32 local government areas, over 350 wards, and nearly 7,000 polling units, with INEC deploying about 30,000 officials to manage the vote.
Security has been one of the main talking points. The Inspector-General of Police ordered heavy deployment across the affected states and banned VIPs from moving around with escorts or armed aides near polling stations. A restriction of movement from midnight until 6pm was also enforced in most areas to reduce the risk of violence and ballot disruption.
In Edo State, nearly 8,000 police officers were on duty, with security checkpoints mounted across senatorial zones. In Kano, security was even tighter following recent arrests of suspected political thugs. Authorities moved quickly to prevent any clashes at polling stations. Kaduna, Ogun, and Taraba also witnessed increased deployments, with local police and civil defence officers stationed at voting centres.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) added another 20,000 personnel nationwide to support the police, making today one of the most heavily policed by-elections in recent memory.
The elections did not come without political drama.
A late-night ruling by a Federal High Court allowed the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to field candidates after initially being barred by INEC over disputes from its primaries. The judgment forced INEC to adjust its list at the last minute, though the commission has said it will appeal.
In Kaduna, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the SDP accused the state government of plotting to tilt the process in its favour, a claim the authorities denied. Meanwhile, uncertainty still surrounds the Labour Party’s participation, with legal battles still ongoing in some constituencies.
Reports On Ground
Turnout has so far varied by location. In some polling units in Oyo and Anambra, early reports suggested low voter turnout, though the atmosphere remained peaceful. In Edo Central, voters complained about slow accreditation due to BVAS machines, while in Anambra South, Governor Charles Soludo commended residents for keeping the exercise calm and orderly.
INEC has assured Nigerians that results will be uploaded to its IReV portal once voting closes, usually between 3pm and 4pm, to ensure transparency.
It was reported that former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan has allegedly purchased a presidential candidate form for the 2027 elections.
It can be noted that Jonathan served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015.
This information was revealed by Sani Useni, a special assistant who made the claim. Many reacted to the news, with some expressing interest in seeing Jonathan return to power after staying relatively quiet politically since his administration ended.
However, Jonathan has not yet addressed the public or officially shared any presidential ambition.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has reacted to the recent abduction incident in Oyo State.
It can be recalled that schools were attacked by armed men, with some teachers and students reportedly taken. Some people were also killed during the attack.
CAN cried out on behalf of the public, stating “It is intolerable, disgraceful and utterly unacceptable that Nigerian children can no longer sit safely in classrooms without the fear of being kidnapped by armed gangs.”
The organisation also stated that Nigerians are tired of constantly mourning and questioning when something will finally be done to stop the violence.
The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has revealed that seven teachers were abducted following a recent attack on a school in the state.
It was also shared that the number of students taken is still being investigated.
The governor further revealed that some people were killed during the attack and abduction.
He also added “With the pressure on the terrorists and the bandits in the North-West, they will keep moving southward.”
“When you have pressure in one place, we must be prepared on this side to either repel or neutralise any terrorists fleeing the pressure points.”
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