The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled Saturday, 21 February 2026, for the conduct of bye-elections in the Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of Rivers State.
The decision was reached at an extraordinary meeting of the Commission held on Monday, December 22, 2025. This was disclosed in a statement issued by Malam Mohammed Haruna, Chairman of INEC’s Information, Voter Education and Publicity Committee.
According to the Commission, the timetable was drawn up in line with the provisions of Section 116 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The vacancies arose following the resignation of the lawmaker representing Ahoada East II and the death of the member representing Khana II in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
INEC explained that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly formally notified the Commission of the vacant seats, thereby activating its constitutional responsibility to conduct bye-elections to fill the positions.
Under the approved schedule, the official notice of election will be published on January 22, 2026. Party primaries and the resolution of any related disputes are slated for January 23 to January 27.
Campaign activities by political parties and their candidates will commence on February 19, 2026, and conclude on February 19, 2026, forty-eighprior tos before election day.
INEC also noted that the Rivers bye-elections will hold on the same day as the end-of-tenure Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Commission said the alignment followed a review of preparations for the FCT polls, allowing for a coordinated and efficient conduct of elections across the affected areas.
