The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has scheduled September 19 for five by-elections across four states in Nigeria.

The elections will be conducted in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states, according to the commission.

INEC Chief Press Secretary to the chairman, Mr Tunde Oketola, disclosed the date in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday.

Oketola explained that the exercise would cover one federal constituency and four state constituencies.

In Gombe State, voters in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency will participate in the election.

Bauchi State will have two state constituency by-elections. They are the Disina State Constituency and the Sakwa State Constituency.

The remaining two state constituency elections will hold in Delta and Kano states.

According to INEC, the affected constituencies are Udu State Constituency in Delta State and Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State.

The September 19 exercise will therefore provide voters in the affected constituencies an opportunity to elect new representatives for the vacant legislative positions.

The announcement comes as INEC continues preparations for the conduct of the scheduled electoral exercises across the affected states.

The commission’s disclosure has also provided political parties, candidates and voters with a definite date to finalise their preparations for the contests.

The five by-elections will cover both federal and state legislative constituencies, making the exercise significant for the political parties competing for the available seats.

INEC is expected to oversee the process, while eligible voters in the affected constituencies will determine the candidates who emerge from the September 19 polls.