INEC Fixes Date For By-Elections In Four States

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced September 19, 2026, as the date for by-elections to fill five vacant legislative seats in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states.

The commission announced the date in a post on its official 𝕏 handle on Friday.

The affected constituencies are Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State; Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State; Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies in Bauchi State; and Udu State Constituency in Delta State, Naija News reports.

INEC said voting would take place at polling units within the affected constituencies, with the exercise scheduled to start at 8:30am and end at 2:30pm.

The five seats became vacant following the death, resignation, defection and movement of some lawmakers to contest other positions.

In Gombe, the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat became vacant after the death of the lawmaker representing the area, Yaya Bauchi Tongo, in June 2026.

In Bauchi, the former occupant of the Sakwa State Constituency seat died, while the lawmaker representing Disina resigned from the State House of Assembly to contest a chairmanship position.

The Udu State Constituency seat in Delta became vacant after the state House of Assembly declared it vacant following the defection of its former occupant, Collins Egbetamah, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

In Kano, the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency seat became vacant after its former occupant, Rabiu Shuaibu, left the State Assembly to contest the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency seat.

Shuaibu later won the federal constituency by-election held in June, defeating candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement and the Labour Party.

INEC said the September 19 election would be conducted at polling units across the affected constituencies.