The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially fixed June 20 and August 8, 2026, for the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, respectively.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced the dates on Friday during the swearing-in of six newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). He also revealed detailed timelines for party primaries, candidate nominations, and campaign periods, in line with legal requirements that mandate the publication of election notices at least 360 days before polling.
For Ekiti State, political parties are to conduct their primaries between October 20 and November 10, 2025. The deadline for uploading nomination forms to INEC’s portal is December 22, 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on January 18, 2026, while campaigns may officially begin on January 21 and must cease 24 hours before the June 20 election.
In Osun, primaries are to hold between November 24 and December 15, 2025. The portal for nominations will close by 6:00 p.m. on February 9, 2026. The final candidate list will be out on March 9, with campaigns permitted from March 11 until a day before the August 8 election.
Yakubu noted that the full election timetable for both states has been made available on INEC’s website and social media platforms to guide political parties and inform the public.
