The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that Ekiti and Osun States will hold their next governorship elections on 20 June and 8 August 2026, respectively.
Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, disclosed the dates on Friday during the swearing-in of six newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).
Yakubu explained that, in line with legal provisions, INEC is mandated to issue election notices no later than 360 days prior to any scheduled poll.
He noted that the commission has now approved the official timetable and schedule of activities for both states.
“For Ekiti, the governorship election is slated for Saturday, 20 June 2026. Political parties are to conduct their primaries between 20 October and 10 November 2025. Parties must then upload their nomination forms to the designated portal, which closes automatically at 6:00 p.m. on 22 December 2025 — no later than 180 days before the election,” he said.
He added that the final list of candidates for Ekiti will be published on 18 January 2026, while official campaigns may commence on 21 January 2026 and conclude 24 hours before polling day.
As for Osun, party primaries are scheduled between 24 November and 15 December 2025. The portal for submitting nomination forms will shut down at 6:00 p.m. on 9 February 2026.
The final candidate list for Osun will be released on 9 March 2026. Political campaigns can begin on 11 March 2026 and must end a day before the election.
“The full timetable and schedule of activities for both elections have been made available on our website and official social media pages for the benefit of political parties and the general public,” Yakubu stated.
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He also addressed concerns over pending bye-elections and the nationwide resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). According to him, the number of bye-elections has risen to 17.
“We are aware of the growing demand for us to resume CVR, particularly in light of the upcoming Anambra governorship election. I want to assure Nigerians that our preparations for the bye-elections and CVR are in the final stages. Details will be announced shortly,” he added.
