Five legislative seats up for grabs in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, Delta
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday, September 19, 2026, for by-elections to fill five vacant legislative seats across four states.
The affected states are Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta, according to the electoral commission.
INEC announced the date in a post on its official X handle on Friday, listing the affected constituencies as Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State; Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State; Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies in Bauchi State; and Udu State Constituency in Delta State.
The commission said voting would take place at polling units within the affected constituencies, with accreditation and voting scheduled to commence at 8:30am and end at 2:30pm.
The five legislative seats became vacant under different circumstances.
In Gombe, the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency seat became vacant following the death of the lawmaker representing the constituency, Yaya Bauchi Tongo, who died in June 2026.
In Bauchi State, the seats representing Sakwa and Disina constituencies in the State House of Assembly became vacant for separate reasons.
While the former occupant of the Sakwa seat died, the lawmaker representing Disina resigned from the Assembly to contest for a chairmanship position.
The Udu State Constituency seat in Delta State became vacant after the state House of Assembly declared it vacant following the defection of its former occupant, Collins Egbetamah, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
In Kano State, the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency seat became vacant after its former occupant, Rabiu Shuaibu, left the State Assembly to contest the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency election.
Shuaibu subsequently won the federal constituency by-election held in June, defeating candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement and the Labour Party.
INEC said the September 19 elections would therefore be used to fill the five legislative vacancies across the four states.
The commission urged eligible voters in the affected constituencies to participate in the exercise and comply with all electoral guidelines.
