INEC Fixes August 16 By-election For Vacant Munya State Constituency In Niger

INEC

 Independent National Electoral Commission ,INEC, in Niger has set August 16, 2025 for the conduct of Munya State Constituency ,SC, by-election

The News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, reports that this followed the demise of the member representing the constituency in the State House of Assembly, Mr Joseph Haruna-Shekwoduza on Sept.13, 2024.

This was disclosed by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner ,REC, Alhaji Ahmed Garki, during a stakeholders’ meeting on the planned activities for the conduct of the by-election, held at the INEC headquarters in Minna on Wednesday.

He said the purpose of the meeting was to intimate all the relevant stakeholders on the commission’s activities.

The REC added that the meeting was also to also evaluate the security situation in the affected area with regards to scheduled poll.

Garki said, “You will recall that we lost a member representing Munya state constituency through death.

“The unfortunate incident occurred on September 13, 2024.

Consequently, the commission has fixed Saturday, August 16, 2025, for a by-election to fill the vacancy”.

Garki explained that Munya has 11 registration areas ,Wards, and 119 polling units ,PUs, with 62,459 registered voters

According to him, the PVCs collected stand at 59,264, adding that the commission will be deploying a total number of 528 poll officials.

“Unlike the general elections or off-cycle elections, there is tight time frame for the conduct of by-elections.

“Party primaries will be held between July 17- 21, 2025, while the INEC online portal for submission of nomination forms for parties will open at 9:00 am on July 22 and close by 6: pm on  July 26, 2025.

“Campaign in public will commence on August 2, 2025 and end at mid-night on August 14, 2025 that is 24 hours before Election Day”, the REC disclosed.

Similarly, Garki said the national headquarters of the commission has approved the resumption of the continuous voters registration ,CVR, across the 36 states and FCT, as well as 774 local government INEC offices nationwide.

He said the registration exercise would be held at two levels, online and in-person registration, adding that the online pre-registration will commence on August 2025, while the In-person Registration will follow on August 25,

2025.

He said, “In Niger, it will hold at the state INEC headquarters and all the INEC offices in the 25 local government areas of the state”.

Garki also appreciated all the stakeholders for their support to the commission’s activities, saying they look forward to more of such support.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration, Mr Aminu Garba, said they have studied the security situation of the by-election area, assuring that the state command, in collaboration with other sister security agencies wass ready for the exercise.

The state Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Mohammed Bello-Maikujeri, observed that election conduct was not new to them.

He called on all the political parties to conduct themselves peacefully, expressing optimism that INEC would be fair to all parties.

There were presentations by various heads of Departments of the commission, among which was a presentation on Party Primaries, Code of Conduct of Political Party’s Campaign, as well as presentation on the Continuous Voters Registration.