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.

Primate Elijah Ayodele, the head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Lagos, has said that two presidential hopefuls could prevent President Bola Tinubu from winning a second term in 2027. He shared this in a recent video.

According to Ayodele, these two candidates have the power to shake up the political scene and change the outcome of the election. He hinted that their actions could influence both the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition parties, making the race more unpredictable.

The 2027 election is shaping up to be a major moment in Nigeria’s democracy. Tinubu, who became president in 2023, is expected to run for a second term, but the political landscape is already crowded with coalitions and alliances. Among them, the African Democratic Congress is reportedly positioning itself as a strong challenger, with figures like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi forming partnerships that could affect the balance of power.

While some people take his words seriously and others are skeptical. As 2027 approaches, Nigerians will be watching closely to see if these aspirants can truly change the course of the election.

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has said that former president Goodluck Jonathan stands no chance against his principal if he decides to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Bwala, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, cautioned Jonathan against yielding to pressure from those urging him to return to the race. According to him, such calls are only aimed at ruining the former leader’s hard-earned reputation.

“I can see that certain people are trying to lure former President Jonathan back into politics just so they can damage the image he has carefully built since leaving office,” Bwala said. “After his time in government, he rose to become a respected international figure, and going back would put that at risk.”

While Jonathan has not publicly declared any political ambition, Bwala stressed that even if he chooses to run, he does not have the strength to defeat Tinubu. “If Jonathan eventually throws his hat into the ring, I can tell you with facts from the political climate today that there is no politician capable of dislodging President Bola Tinubu,” he added.