The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today conduct by-elections in some states to fill the vacant seats in the National Assembly in some Federal constituencies.
According to INEC, the polls would be conducted in 16 federal constituencies across 12 states owing to the vacancies occasioned mostly by deaths.
The electoral umpire stated that elections would be held in places such as Oyo, Ogun, Edo, Anambra, Kano, among others.
Anambra South: 12 parties battle for votes in 135 wards, 1,669 polling units
A total of 12 political parties are to contest in the by election for Anambra South Senatorial District in the 135 electoral wards in the seven local government areas of the zone.
The by-election which will hold in the 1,669 polling units of the seven local government areas is on the account of the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah in July last year in United Kingdom.
As at the time of filing this report, it is however not clear the number of registered voters in the district given the fact that there is an ongoing Continuous Voter Registration though the last data by INEC indicates that the number of registered voters was 1,770, 127 though the number must have increased greatly in the last eleven years.
According to INEC, twelve candidates and political parties are contesting for the election.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the INEC, Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu who carried out the distribution exercise before representatives of various political parties, security agencies and the media, assured of a hitch free and transparent process.
Dr. Agwu disclosed that the sensitive materials which were kept in the warehouse of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), arrived on Wednesday night while the non-sensitive materials had already been received by the commission.
All the materials for the two elections were received and signed for onward movement to the eight local government areas where the polls will take place on Saturday by the concerned political parties and party agents present at the premises of the CBN, Awka the state capital.
The two elections will take place same day in the state aim at filling the vacant seats at both the Senate and Anambra State House of Assembly following the deaths of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and Hon Justice Azuka, the Labour Party (LP) lawmaker who represented Onitsha North constituency 1 at the Anambra state legislature.
The REC urged voters to come out en masse to cast their votes for their choice candidates, adding that they should do away with rumour mongering and suggestion that the commission had already written results of the elections or would rig the process in favour of anybody.
“We have been planning for this Anambra South Senatorial district bye- election and Onitsha South State House of Assembly bye-election; these bye-elections were generated as a result of death of the two occupants of these seats. And I have done all the needful to ensure that this election becomes stress free,” she said.
“We are at the CBN today with all the concerned parties to access the sensitive materials ballot papers, results sheets. We had packed the other sensitive materials BVAS and EVR at the INEC office and we came over to the CBN to open other sensitive materials which received yesterday (Wednesday) night at the CBN here.
“That’s what brought here. All the parties are here, observers, media and security agencies and we opened everything before everybody and they testified that there was no magomago (fraud) and everything went on fine.”
Over 8, 170 registered voters are expected to come out cast their votes during the Onitsha North 1 State constituency poll while the figure for that of Anambra South Senatorial poll could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
“They warned that people should mind their businesses, if you have no business with voting and election on that day stay in your house. People who have business with the voting and the election, they are assured that their lives would be protected,” the REC said.
Agwu therefore appealed to the people of the state to discard rumour mills as this digital age over allegations that “the REC has teamed up with the security agencies and Abuja INEC office to rig the election.
“Rumour destroys the society; it does not help the society. We are here to do the needful, we are here to do things a cording to the rules and regulations as well as the law. We are not here to disenfranchise anybody. We have no interest; our interest is to make sure that the votes of the people count,” the assured.
“People should come out, I beg them to come and exercise their civic rights,” she added.
Ibadan North Reps by-election holds
INEC will today conduct by-election to fill the vacant seat of the Ibadan North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, occasioned by the demise of the former occupier, Hon. Musliudeen Olaide Akinremi (a.k.a.Jagaban) of the APC, who died on 10th July, 2024 at 51 years of age.
The by-election which is going to be conducted in the 12 wards , and 512 polling units that make up the constituency, will be contested by five political parties which are fielding their candidates.
The five candidates, who had during the week signed a peace agreement at the Oyo State headquarters of INEC, include Dexter Femi Akin-Alamu, of ADC; Adewale Haastrup Olatunji, APC; Olabisi Olajumoke Odususi, APGA; Fola Sunday Oyekunle of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), and Hammed Badmus of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
According to Dr. Tella Adeniran who is the Resident Commissioner of INEC, 2,062 polling officials have been prepared, while 272,196 voters registered, and 217,980 have collected their permanent voter cards (PVC). The exercise will commence by 8.30 a m and be concluded at 2.30 p.m.
Edo: APC, PDP, 7 others battle federal seats
The for political atmosphere in Edo State has reached a boiling point as voters head to the polls for a crucial by-election to fill two vacancies at the National Assembly, namely Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency seats.
These positions became vacant following the emergence of Senator Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Dennis Idahosa as Governor and Deputy Governor of Edo State, respectively in the September 22, 2024 gubernatorial election.
Senator Okpebholo, formerly was representing Central District in the 10th National Assembly on the platform of the APC, secured the party’s gubernatorial ticket while his running mate, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, who represented Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, stepped down to assume his new role as deputy governor of the state.
Their elevation to the executive arm of the state government has created the need for today’s bye-election in the state.
Nine parties jostle in close race
Although nine political parties are officially contesting the bye-election, the spotlight is firmly on the ruling APC and the opposition PDP.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is also in the mix, though analysts believe the party is not adequately prepared for a serious challenge.
In Edo Central Senatorial District, APC is fielding Hon. Joe Ikpea, the younger brother of billionaire oil magnate Chief Lemon Ikpea.
His candidacy is perceived by many as a significant boost for the APC, which currently holds the reins of power in the state as his family’s influence and financial clout are expected to play a decisive role in voter mobilisation and logistics.
INEC’s preparedness and voter participation
INEC has confirmed that nine political parties successfully fulfilled the requirements to participate in the bye-election.
They include APC, PDP, ADC and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), NNPP, ZLP and the Action Alliance (AA).
According to INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo State, Professor Anugbum Onuoha, 14 parties initially expressed interest, but only nine followed due process by formally inviting INEC to observe their primaries.
He noted that some parties either failed to notify the commission or locked out INEC officials during scheduled primary elections.
Prof. Onuoha reassured the public of INEC’s readiness to conduct a transparent, free, and credible bye-election.
He confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices have been fully configured and non-sensitive election materials have been distributed to the relevant polling units.
However, the REC expressed concern over the high number of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Out of the 719,504 registered voters in the seven local government areas affected by the bye-election, 101,617 PVCs remain uncollected.
He made a passionate appeal to eligible voters to collect their PVCs and to participate actively in the democratic process.
Five political parties to partake in Okura/Biraidu bye-election
Five political parties are expected to participate in the Okura/Biraidu State Assembly Constituency bye-election scheduled to hold in Kogi State.
According to him, only five candidates from five political parties are contesting the election as the political parties listed include; Accord Party (AP), ADC, APC, APM, and the PDP.
The bye-election came after the demise of the member representing Okura/Biraidu Constituency in the State House of Assembly, late Hon. Enema Paul.
The election is also expected to be conducted in 138 poling units under five wards with a total voters registration of 78, 059 respectively.
Names of the contestants for the five contesting political parties as: AP; Yakubu Ugbade, ADC; Amps Ahiaba Amos, APC; Musa Hassan-Yakubu, APM; Egene Joseph Ugbede and PDP; Meliga Godwin.
By-election in Munya state constituency
Political parties in Munya Local Government area of Niger State are set for the conduct of bye-election for Munya constituency into the State House of Assembly on today.
Already over five hundred adhoc staff have been recruited to conduct the Saturday’s bye-election that would pave the way for the emergence of new member through a transparent electoral process.
INEC Resident Commissioner in charge of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Yusha’u Garki stated while presenting sensitive electoral materials to representatives of political parties which was kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN in Minna said that the PDP, APC, ADC, SDP, LP APGA, PRP, NNPP are contesting.
Garki however explained that with the presentation of sensitive electoral materials INEC is more than ever committed to the conduct of credible and acceptable election and that the materials will be transported to Munya by the Returning Officer with the help of armed security personnel for the bye-election.
INEC won’t tolerate criminalities, says Kano REC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano State says it will not tolerate violence, votes buying, snatchings of boxes, any form of misnomer in today’s reruns and supplementary elections in the state.
The commission warned that they are determined to conduct free, fair and credible, bye-election and rerun election in Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituencies scheduled to hold today.
APC, NNPP are going for supplementary elections in Tsanyawa/ Ghari while all the parties interested are participating in the Bagwai/ Shanono House of Assembly reruns election.
Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of the state, Alhaji Abdul Zango, stated this while briefing journalists on preparations for the upcoming elections in the state.
“We are determined to conduct free, fair and credible elections. Integrity is the key word. We have zero tolerance for lack of accountability, transparency or partisanship. INEC, the entire staff, including me, are non-partisan.
“The only political party we recognise are the citizens. For us that is sacrosanct and whoever the citizens choose is the person we will declare. I have given you my word; we have done so before,we will do so now,” Zango said.
He disclosed that non-sensitive materials for the elections had been deployed to the concerned local governments three weeks ago, adding that the materials had been batched according to the registration areas and polling units.
He said the sensitive materials had arrived and that they would be distributed immediately to the local governments this evening.
The commissioner also stated that adequate security would be provided to ensure peaceful and hitch-free polls.
According to him, the commission has been assured of adequate security characterised by massive deployment of security personnel to the areas where the elections would hold.
He said the political parties involved in the polls had assured the commission that they would conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly during the elections.
“Our major concern is the political class and I have just finished meeting with them. I received total commitment and assurance on their part that they would conduct themselves responsibly, there will be peaceful elections devoid of violence.
“I want to believe them; for once, I am very confident we will do these elections devoid of violence. And we have implored them to see the need to conduct themselves creditably, devoid of violence.
Police deploy 7,800 officers, restrict movement
The Edo State Police Command has announced the deployment of over 7,800 police officers, while restricting movement within seven local government areas to ensure a peaceful and secure electoral process.
A statement released on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Yamu, said a total of 7,825 officers will be stationed across all areas where the election is scheduled to hold.
“The personnel are drawn from the Zone 5 Police Headquarters, Edo State Command, the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Special Intervention Squad (SIS), and the Election Monitoring Team from the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
“The extensive security arrangement is aimed at safeguarding voters, electoral officials, and election materials, while also ensuring that public order is maintained before, during, and after the poll.
“As part of the security measures, the police have imposed a restriction of movement in the affected areas from 12:00 midnight on Friday, August 15, until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 16.”
