INEC Begins Nationwide Training Ahead of August 16 Bye-Elections

Commission intensifies preparations to ensure credible polls across 12 states

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched a high-level Training of Trainers (ToT) programme at The Electoral Institute (TEI) in Abuja, as part of its preparations for 16 crucial bye-elections scheduled to take place on 16 August 2025.

The training is part of a cascade model approved by the Commission, whereby national trainers will equip Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs), and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs) across the country ahead of the polls.

Speaking during the opening session, Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute, outlined the scope of the exercise. “The Commission has announced the conduct of 16 bye-elections in 12 states and 32 Local Government Areas nationwide,” he stated.

Zuru emphasised the strategic importance of the exercise, describing the training as critical to maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. He said the Commission remains committed to “continuous improvement through progressive innovations and rectification of identified challenges.”

Among the key competencies required of electoral officials, Zuru listed:

A thorough understanding of electoral laws; proficiency in the use of electoral technologies, especially:

Scanning and uploading of election results using the improved IReV Mobile App; accurate documentation using Form EC 40G(PU) for cancelled or non-held polling units.

While acknowledging past successes in elections such as the Edo and Ondo governorship polls, Zuru said retraining remains “imperative” for upcoming bye-elections and court-ordered re-runs. He noted the significance of the August 16 polls, which precede the Anambra off-cycle governorship election, as a test of INEC’s readiness and credibility.

“This training is a shared responsibility and obligation,” Zuru reminded participants. “INEC’s reputation for free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive elections is at stake.”

Also speaking at the event, TEI’s Acting Director General, Professor Ibrahim Sani, welcomed participants and described the ToT programme as “an honour and a responsibility.” He reaffirmed the core objective: to empower trainers to deliver high-quality instruction to field-level officials.

Sani highlighted the inclusion of practical sessions on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which will be led by INEC’s ICT Department. He called on participants to give the training “all the attention it deserves,” stressing that their performance would directly influence the credibility of the forthcoming polls.

INEC officials say the successful rollout of the cascade training programme will be pivotal to delivering credible elections across the affected constituencies in August.