The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, September 19, 2026, for the conduct of by-elections in two vacant Bauchi State House of Assembly seats.
The elections will be held in Sakwa State Constituency of Zaki Local Government Area and Disina State Constituency of Shira Local Government Area.
The two seats became vacant under different circumstances. The Sakwa seat was left vacant following the death of its former occupant, while the lawmaker representing Disina resigned from the Assembly to pursue a chairmanship position.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Bauchi State, Umar Ibrahim, announced the timetable during a stakeholders’ meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Electoral Security and representatives of political parties.
According to the timetable, the Notice of Election was published on August 20, while political parties are expected to conduct their primaries and resolve any disputes arising from them between August 21 and 25.
Campaigns for the elections will officially commence on September 9 and run until September 17, two days before the polls.
Ibrahim urged political parties, candidates and other stakeholders to strictly adhere to the electoral laws and the Commission’s timetable, stressing that their cooperation would be critical to ensuring a peaceful and credible exercise.
He also called on stakeholders to work with the Commission to guarantee adequate security for voters, candidates, electoral officials, election materials, party agents and other participants.
The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, pledged the command’s support for the electoral process and disclosed that a risk assessment would be conducted in the affected constituencies to identify possible security threats ahead of the polls.
INEC said it remains committed to conducting free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful by-elections, while stressing that achieving that objective would require the collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
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