INEC Fixes Oct 31 For 12 Bye-elections In Bayelsa, C’Rivers, Others

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed October 31 for the conduct of bye-elections to fill 12 vacant federal and state legislative seats in the country.

Among the states with vacant seats at the Senate are Bayelsa, Cross River, Imo, Lagos and Plateau.

Governor Douye Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo were senators who represented Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa West before their election as governor and deputy governor of Bayelsa respectively.

The senators who represented Cross River North, Imo North, Lagos East and Plateau South died, resulting in their seats becoming vacant.

According to a statement by INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, in Abuja, the commission had earlier suspended all bye-elections because of COVID-19.

Okoye said the commission had been able to develop “its policy on conducting elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Several vacancies have occurred in both federal and state legislative houses as a result of resignation or death of members, affecting 12 constituencies across 8 states of the federation”, he said.

Okoye added, “The commission has also successfully conducted the bye-election to fill the vacancy in the Nasarawa Central State Constituency and is going ahead with the conduct of governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States on the 19th September and 10th October respectively. Consequently, the Commission is now in a position to schedule the following by-elections:

“Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Nganzai State Constituency, Borno State, Bayo State Constituency, Borno State, Cross River North Senatorial District, Obudu State Constituency, Cross River State, Imo North Senatorial District, Lagos East Senatorial District, Kosofe II State Constituency, Lagos State, Plateau South Senatorial District, Bakura State Constituency, Zamfara State, Ibaji State Constituency, Kogi State

“The commission has scheduled all the pending by-elections for Saturday 31st October 2020.”

The commissioner said political parties would conduct their primary polls to pick candidates for the various bye-elections between August 24 and September 8.

“Submission of forms and personal particulars of candidates will commence on 9th September and close at 6pm on 13th September 2020,” he said.

INEC further implored “concerned stakeholders, particularly political parties to take note of the time lines in the schedule and strictly adhere to them.”