Rivers by-elections set for Feb. 21, 2026, as INEC approves timetable for Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies following vacancies.
Tuesday, December 23,2025 | Abuja
Rivers by-elections will hold on Feb. 21, 2026, following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct polls into the Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of Rivers State. The Rivers by-elections are expected to fill vacancies in the State House of Assembly.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Malam Mohammed Haruna, Chairman of the Information, Voter Education and Publicity Committee, noting that the Rivers by-elections form part of the commission’s constitutional mandate.
Haruna said the decision was reached at the commission’s extraordinary meeting held on Monday, where preparations for the end-of-tenure Area Council elections for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), also scheduled for Feb. 21, were reviewed alongside the Rivers by-elections.
Haruna noted that Section 116 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) empowered the commission to fix election dates and conduct by-elections to fill vacancies, including the Rivers by-elections.
He said that based on this constitutional provision, Feb. 21, 2026, had been approved for the conduct of the Rivers by-elections in the two constituencies.
“The vacancy in the Ahoada East II Constituency arose as a result of the resignation of its member while that of Khana II resulted from the death of its member.
“The Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly had since notified the commission of the existence of the vacancies.
“By the Commission’s decision today, the notice for the two elections will be published on Jan. 22, 2026, while political parties will conduct their party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from the primaries, between Jan. 23 and Jan. 27, 2026.
“Parties and candidates will then commence their campaigns on Feb. 8, 2026 to end on Feb. 19. The elections will hold on Feb. 21, 2026.”
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