The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, credibility, and inclusivity in Nigeria’s electoral process, pledging stronger collaboration with the media as the nation approaches the November 8 Anambra State governorship election.
May Agbamuche-Mbu, acting chairman of the Commission, made the pledge on Wednesday during the third quarterly consultative meeting with media executives held at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
Welcoming participants, Agbamuche-Mbu commended journalists and media leaders for their consistent partnership with the Commission, noting that regular engagements help strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
She paid tribute to Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate past INEC chairman, who bowed out of office on October 7, describing him as “a visionary leader whose legacy of innovation and integrity has deepened democracy across Africa.”
Providing updates on the Commission’s activities, Agbamuche-Mbu said INEC has successfully conducted the August 16 bye-elections across 12 states covering two senatorial districts, five federal constituencies, and nine state assembly constituencies, including two court-ordered reruns in Enugu and Kano States. Certificates of Return, she added, have been issued to all winners in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.
On preparations for upcoming polls, she confirmed that the Commission has released and commenced implementation of the timetable and schedule of activities for the Anambra Governorship Election (November 8, 2025), the FCT Area Council Elections (February 21, 2026), the Ekiti Governorship Election (June 20, 2026), and the Osun Governorship Election (August 8, 2026).
She noted that INEC has completed 10 of the 13 key activities for the Anambra election, including delivery of non-sensitive materials and ongoing voter sensitisation. “The remaining activities—publication of the notice of poll, the last day of campaigns, and the election itself—will be strictly implemented,” she assured.
Agbamuche-Mbu also disclosed that INEC’s media accreditation portal, opened on September 1, has so far received applications from 43 media organisations seeking accreditation for 363 personnel, with the deadline set for midnight on October 24. She urged journalists to complete their registration promptly, emphasising that accreditation tags will feature security codes to verify authenticity.
“The media plays a vital role in combating fake news and misinformation during elections,” she said. “INEC’s doors remain open for verification and clarification on all matters.”
Providing further updates, the Acting Chairman said the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which began nationwide in August, has received massive turnout—reflecting citizens’ trust in the Commission’s reforms. The exercise will run until August 30, 2026, with weekly progress reports published on INEC’s website.
She added that out of 171 applications from political associations seeking registration, 14 have met constitutional and legal requirements to proceed to the next stage, as published on the Commission’s website.
Agbamuche-Mbu reaffirmed INEC’s resolve to deepen democracy through inclusive and credible elections, stating, “We are determined to uphold transparency and build an electoral process Nigerians can continue to trust.”
In his remarks, Comrade Yahya Alhassan, president of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), lauded INEC for sustaining consistent engagement with the media, describing the partnership as “vital to the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy.”
“The media remains one of the most critical stakeholders in democracy—not only as observers but as facilitators of credible and peaceful elections,” he said.
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“Our duty is to ensure citizens are well informed, political actors are accountable, and the process is reported with fairness and responsibility.”
He called for enhanced training for journalists covering electoral matters, stronger collaboration on fact-checking and combating misinformation, and timely access to information from the Commission.
As preparations intensify for the Anambra election, both INEC and media stakeholders pledged to sustain cooperation towards ensuring a transparent, peaceful, and credible electoral process.
