The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to maintain peace before, during and after the forthcoming Rivers State House of Assembly bye-elections scheduled for February 21, 2026.

The call was made by the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Gabriel Yomere, at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by INEC in Port Harcourt. The meeting brought together representatives of political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, traditional institutions, youth organisations and the media.

The bye-elections will be held in Ahoada-East Constituency II and Khana Constituency II. The Ahoada-East II seat became vacant after its former representative, Edison Ehie, resigned following his appointment as Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The Khana II seat, on the other hand, has remained unoccupied since the death of its lawmaker, Dinebari Loolo, in September 2023.

Speaking at the forum, Professor Yomere said the engagement was aimed at fostering cooperation among key stakeholders and ensuring a credible, transparent and violence-free electoral process. He disclosed that the two constituencies comprise 14 wards, 242 polling units and a total of 112,950 registered voters.

The REC stressed that peaceful conduct was essential to allow voters to participate freely without intimidation. He also underscored the importance of filling the vacant seats to ensure proper representation of the affected constituencies in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Professor Yomere further briefed stakeholders on INEC’s preparations for the second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, urging eligible citizens to take advantage of the opportunity.

During the interactive session, participants called on the electoral body to guarantee fairness for all parties and ensure that ad-hoc staff conduct themselves with professionalism and neutrality.

Representing political parties, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, Nnanna Onyekwere, urged all contestants to strictly observe the rules governing the election. Also speaking, the Convener of the Rivers Peace Initiative, Obinna Ebogidi, emphasised dialogue and restraint as key measures to prevent electoral violence.

On security, the Rivers State Police Command assured stakeholders of adequate arrangements to safeguard the electoral process. The assurance was given by a representative of the Commissioner of Police, Chief Superintendent of Police James Njoku, who said security personnel would be deployed before, during and after the polls to ensure a smooth exercise.