INEC fixes Feb 14 for postponed rerun elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 14 for the conduct of supplementary elections resulting from suspended elections in some polling units during last Saturday’s rerun and by-elections. The commission said it has resolved to conduct a supplementary election in Taraba State and a new rerun election in Enugu State. National Commissioner and […]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 14 for the conduct of supplementary elections resulting from suspended elections in some polling units during last Saturday’s rerun and by-elections.

The commission said it has resolved to conduct a supplementary election in Taraba State and a new rerun election in Enugu State.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Sam Olumekun, said this on Tuesday in a statement at the end of the commission’s regular management meeting.

“Due to security concerns, the election in Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency (in Kano State) will be held at a later date, after further discussions with security agencies and stakeholders,” Olumekun said.

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He said, “The by-elections were concluded successfully across all designated constituencies, with the exception of Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency. Here, the final declaration was postponed due to over-voting in certain polling units, impacting the margin of lead between the candidates with the highest number of votes.

“Regarding the re-run elections, disruptions occurred at two polling units (PUs) in the Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State and across all PUs in the Enugu South State Constituency of Enugu State and Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State, due to violence, thuggery and the hijacking of election materials.”

The INEC top official said the commission had previously suspended the re-run elections in these areas in accordance with Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

He said, however, that following additional reports from our officials in the affected states, the commission supports the returning officer’s decision to announce results in the Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, as the number of registered voters in the two PUs did not affect the outcome of the election.

Meanwhile, the commission on Wednesday presented certificates of return (CoR) elected federal lawmakers who won in last Saturday’s by-elections and re-run elections across the country, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Seven political parties won seats in both the National and State Houses of Assembly.

They are Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP), New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

Those who received the CoR comprised three senators and 15 members of the House of Representatives.