The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 217,980 voters in Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Oyo State, will cast their ballots to elect a new representative to the National Assembly.
The commission revealed on Wednesday that 19 registered political parties in Oyo State are eligible to participate in the forthcoming by-election, scheduled for 16 August 2025. Campaigning by the political parties will run from 2 to 14 August.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting with political parties ahead of the by-election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Dr Adeniran Tella, provided key details about the process and preparations. The meeting was held to ensure collaboration and transparency ahead of the poll.
Dr Tella noted that the by-election was necessitated by the death of the former member representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Mr Olaide Akinremi, who passed away on 10 July 2024.
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He further disclosed that Ibadan North Federal Constituency is made up of 12 wards and 512 polling units, with a total of 272,196 registered voters. Of these, 217,980 have collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).
“There will be no further PVC collection for those yet to obtain theirs before the by-election,” Dr Tella stated.
The REC confirmed that some non-sensitive election materials were already in the commission’s custody, with sensitive materials expected to be delivered before election day. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, crucial for voter accreditation, are currently being activated in preparation for the election.
Dr Tella called on all stakeholders to commit to a peaceful, credible, and inclusive electoral process to uphold the integrity of the by-election.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Oyo State, Mr Adegbenro Fagbemi, urged INEC to ensure a transparent and credible election. He also stressed the importance of prioritising security to avoid potential volatility, particularly in isolated elections such as this.
Representatives from several political parties attended the meeting, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), among others.
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