By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says it is set to conduct the outstanding by-elections and resume the Continuous Voters? Registration (CVR) nationwide.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this at a quarterly meeting of the commission with the leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja.

?I cannot conclude my remarks without briefing you on the conduct of outstanding bye-elections and the resumption of the CVR.

?I am glad to announce that the commission is now in a position to conduct the bye-elections and to resume CVR nationwide.

?The commission met on Tuesday and we are finalising the details for both activities which will be made public in the next 24 hours. As usual we look forward for your support,? he said.

Yakubu equally updated the CSOs of INEC?s preparations for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for Nov. 8 and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), area council elections coming up Feb. 21, 2026.

?The commission will continue to update you on these and other electoral activities. I urge you to equally monitor these activities.

?At the same time, I wish to appeal to you to promptly upload your applications for accreditation of observers for the Anambra election holding as soon as the portal opens, so that we can process and deliver your accreditation tags well ahead of the election,? he said.

Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy, used the medium to call on the National Assembly to fast-track its works on the amendment of the Electoral Act.

She said that it would be nice if the amendment was concluded before the 2027 general elections.

Nwadishi commended the commission?s recommendations on the electoral reforms to the national assembly as well as the various innovations introduced to improved elections in Nigeria.

She also remarked on the recent establishment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) unit in the commission, saying that is a positive step.

Nwadishi emphasised the need for the commission to carry the CSOs along in the area of public sensitisation on the CVR programme.

She urged the INEC to give the CSOs more time for applications and uploading of their details for elections accreditations. (NAN)

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