NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the stage is set for tomorrow’s by-elections into the Senate, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly seats across 26 states.
Already, sensitive materials have been distributed to the affected polling districts and constituencies by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the commission said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not participate in the election in Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, based on the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The court had nullified the victory of PDP House of Assembly members in the state, following the party’s failure to conduct its Congresses according to laid down rules.
Also in Ebonyi, a High Court in Abakaliki nullified the candidacy of Silas Onu, being fielded by the PDP.
Apart from Plateau and Ebonyi, states where the rerun will hold are Yobe, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and Cross River.
Others are Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
The seats became vacant, following the appointment of the senators and House of Representatives members as ministers by President Bola Tinubu.
Also, in some states, the reruns were ordered by the court due to irregularities that marred the previous exercise.
No fewer than 4,567,689 eligible voters are expected to participate in the elections; 2,189,171 voters will participate in in two senatorial districts, four federal constituencies and three state constituencies.
Also, 2,220,912 voters will participate in the Court ordered rerun into the National Assembly, while 157,606 voters will participate in the elections into Houses of Assembly.
By-elections will be conducted in two senatorial districts of Ebony South and Yobe East, four federal constituencies in Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo and Taraba and three state constituencies in Benue, Borno and Kaduna states.
Also, court ordered rerun elections will take place in one senatorial district of Plateau Central, 12 federal constituencies in 10 states and 25 state Assembly seats in 16 states.
The Federal constituencies where elections will take place are Surelere 1 (Lagos), Yauri/Shanta/Ingaski and Arewa/Dandi (Kebbi), Akoko North East/North West (Ondo), Jalingo/Yorro/Zing (Taraba), Ikono/Ini (Akwa Ibom) and Akamkpa/Biase (Cross River State).
Others are Nnewi North/Nnewi South and Orumba North/Orumba South (Anambra), Igbo Eze North/Udenu (Enugu), Birnin Kudu/Buji (Jigawa), Igabi and Kachia/Kagarko (Kaduna), Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa (Katsina), Jos North/Bases (Plateau) and Fine/Fune (Yobe) federal constituencies.
Senatorial elections will hold in Ebonyi South and Yobe East, following the resignation of Senator Dave Umahi, who was appointed Works Minister and Senator Ibrahim Gaidam,Minister of Police Affairs.
At the state level, elections to fill vacant positions in state Houses of Assembly will take place in Adamawa (1), Akwa Ibom (1), Bauchi (3), Bayelsa (1), Cross River (2), Delta (2), Enugu (1), Kaduna (2), Kano (3), Nasarawa (2), Niger (1), Oyo (1), Sokoto (2), Zamfara (1), Benue (1) and Borno (1).
Only Simon Mwadikwon is facing a court-ordered rerun into the Senate; 12 members of the House of Representatives are also facing court ordered rerun They are Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo (PDP-Akwa Ibom), Clement Nwachukwu (APGA-Anambra), Change Nnabuife (YPP-Anambra) and Inyang Lamke (APC-Cross Rivers).
Others are Dennis Agbo (LP-Enugu), Adamu Yakubu (PDP-Jigawa), Husseini Halloween (PDP-Kaduna), David Umaru (PDP-Kaduna), Mohammed Jamilu (PDP-Katsina), Garba Rabiu Kamba (APC-Kebbi), Musa Agah Avia (PDP-Plateau) and Jajere Buba Mohammed (PDP-Yobe).
However, barely 24 hours to the exercise, INEC said the PDP will not participate in the exercise in Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency.
There were also indications that security agencies have placed Plateau State under watch for the poll while all the parties have been advised to respect the judgment of the Appeal Court on the previous polls in the district and federal constituency.
Following the fate that befell the PDP, the senatorial by-election may be a stiff contest between Chris Giwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gyang Zi of the Labour Party (LP).
Sources said PDP members may vote for the LP in protest against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court had sacked a former Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, who was declared winner of February 25, 2023 poll by INEC.
Also, the Court of Appeal invalidated INEC’s declaration of Musa Avia-Agah as winner of the Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency.
Although 11 parties have been cleared by the electoral commission for the poll, the battle may be between the APC and the LP.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Having considered legal advice, INEC has dropped PDP from the ballot in deference to the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which is the final arbiter on disputes from National Assembly poll.
“The appellate court said Mwadkwon was not validly nominated by the PDP for the election because 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) did not participate in the congress that elected him as candidate of the party for the election.
“INEC cannot afford to be lawless. Apart from court pronouncement, INEC is not part of any political compromise. Even when INEC met with the leadership of PDP on January 8, 2024, it made it clear that the party will be excluded from the poll. We are standing by this decision.
“Even this week, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja struck out an application for an order of Mandamus by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to compel INEC to allow it and its candidates to participate in the 3rd February 2024. The judge said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain election matters, and the applicants did not follow the due process of the law to initiate the matter.”
It was gathered that security agencies have advised all the parties in the state to respect the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
Another source said: “As for Saturday by-elections, security agencies have keen interest on the development in Plateau State. We will ensure that all the parties comply with the judgment of the court.
“We have also advised the stakeholders in the state, especially political parties, to comply with the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court. Any unlawful action will amount to a breach of the security.”
Aiyedatiwa begs Akoko APC stakeholders
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa appealed to party stakeholders to work for the victory of the APC candidate in Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency, Mr. Ife Ehindero.
Speaking at a rally held at the Cenotaph in Ikare Akoko, Akoko North East Local Government Area, he said: “This is an election that we must all rally and queue behind our candidate on Saturday by ensuring APC wins. Ife Ehindero is our own and he must win.”
At the rally were Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami, Ondo APC Chairman Ade Adetimehin, former Deputy Governor Lasisi Oluboyo, Senator Jide Ipinsagba, Chief Olusola Oke, Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye and Chief Gbenga Ale.
Ehindero promised to defend the interest of the constituency, if elected, adding:”No doubt, our people want growth and development and I am ready to prioritise their welfare with fresh ideas.”
APC Chairman Alhaji Aminu Sani Gumel said the party will reclaim the seat which was erroneously awarded to the PDP by the electoral commission.
He said: “As we are going out to reclaim our seat we will also ensure full compliance with the electoral act. We will not give chance for any act of violence and any body who dare to cause a breach of peace, we will report.”
The Taraba State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mohammed Umar, disclosed that the security of voters and officials is guaranteed during the by-election in Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Constituency.
He said the election will take place in 658 polling units in the constituency, which is currently affected by banditry and kidnapping.
Speaking with reporters after the distribution of sensitive materials, Umar said there will be no security hitch.
He said: “When you talk of this issue of insecurity. At the risk of being unpatriotic, it is an issue that affects the whole nation.
“The electoral officers in Yorro and Zing testified to us that so far so good, they are comfortable with the security arrangements. The security operatives are there. The citizenry are ready to exercise their franchise”.
The re-run will take place in Yabo/Shagari, and Bodinga , Tambuwal state constituencies respectively.
The state Administrative Secretary of the Commission, Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa, said adequate security would be provided to ensure a hitch free exercise.
She addded: “No fewer than 15 policemen are expected to oversee each polling unit.”
APC Chairman Sadiq Isah Achida said he was confident that the party’ s candidates will win.
Also, PDP Publicity Secretary, Hassan Sanyinnawal, also expressed optimism that it’s candidates will win.
The Police in Ebonyi State announced the restrictions of vehicular movement from 12 midnight to 6pm on Sunday.
The restrictions is in five local governments of Ebonyi South Senatorial zone where the by-election will hold tomorrow.
The local government areas are: Ivo, Ohaozara, Onicha, Afikpo and Edda local government areas.
Police spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, said in a statement that security agencies will continue to monitor and enforce security till the election is over.
However, a Federal High Court in Abakaliki nullified the candidacy of Mr Silas Onu, who was fielded by PDP.
Justice Hyeladziya Ngajiwa said the party failed to conduct a proper congress to produce the three-ad-hoc state delegates one-man national delegate per local government, who were mandated to vote at the primary
They are: All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), APC, LP, PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Action Democratic Congress (ADC),New Nigeria Peoples Party,(NNPP) and Action Peoples Party(APP).
Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State Prof. Ayobami Salami told reporters that the commission was fully prepared for the election in Surulere Federal Constituency.
The seat became vacant, following the resignation of Femi Gbajabiamila, who was appointed by President Tinubu as his Chief of Staff.
Salami said: “We have taken delivery of the sensitive materials today. We are in the last phase of the process of the by-election.We have taken the ballot papers and the results sheet for Saturday.”
No fewer than 12 parties are fielding candidates for the poll. Also, 121,111 voters are expected to participate in the exercise, according INEC.
The candidates are: Akinyemi Da-Sliva (Accord),. Kayode Jelili (Action Alliance), Collins Aigbokhaode (African Democratic Congress), Fuad Laguda (All Progressives Congress), Jonathan Ololade (All Progressives Grand Alliance) Samuel Ekwuruke (Allied People’s Movement), Yinusa Adisa (Action People’s Party), Adeola Adebanjo (Labour Party), Jerry Afemighie (Peoples Democratic Party), Muyiwa Adedeji (Social Democratic Party), Oluwole Austine Brito (Young Progressive Party), and Emereole Anthony (Zenith Labour Party).
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Gabriel Yomere, said sensitive materials have been distributed into 34 polling units in four local governments.
He said only INEC staff will conduct the poll, adding that they will be held accountable.
Security has been beefed up in Igboeze North and Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State, ahead of the poll.
The constituency in made up of Igboeze North and Udenu local government areas.
INEC had fixed the re-run in line with the order of a Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, which nullified the election of Mr Dennis Agbo of the Labour Party (LP), in an appeal filed by the APC candidate, Dr Oby Ajih.
The Appeal Court ordered a re-run in 176 of 532 polling units, which was less than 30 per cent of the polling units in the constituency.
The Appeal Court ordered the re-run across 42 polling units in four state constituencies-Bauchi Central; Zungur/Galambi, Ningi 1 and Madara/Chinade.
Resident Electoral Commissioner Mohammed Nura said: “The election will be conducted using BVAS for accreditation, authentication, and result upload to the IReV.
“So far, BVAS for all the PUs have been configured and ready to be used on the election day while our technical support staff would be at each PU to ensure the device works.”
INEC has distributed election materials to two registration areas in Kankara/Faskari/Sabuwa Federal Constituency of Katsina State.
The election would be conducted in Garagi and Daudawa registration areas in Kankara and Faskari Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the constituency.
The materials distributed included BVAS, ballot papers, result sheets, voters’ register, among others.
They were handed over to the Electoral Officers of Kankara and Faskari, Yunusa Audu, and Ahmed Yaluwa, in the presence of security agents, party representatives and the media.
The state INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Shehu Sa’idu, told reporters after the distribution, that the election would be conducted in 40 poling units of the two LGAs.
He added that four polling units were in Daudawa registration area of Faskari, while 16 were in Garagi, Kankara LGA.
The number of Registered Voters in the affected polling units is 10,659, while the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected were 10,652.
NewsOnline Nigeria earlier reported that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the restriction of movement from 12 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow in states where by-elections will be conducted.
Only those on essential duties, including INEC officials, electoral observers, accredited media, health workers and fire fighters are excepted, according to a state by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
Also, state-owned security outfits and organizations, quasi-security units, and privately owned guard and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management.
Egbetokun said: “The movement restrictions, including the ban on VIP aides, escorts, and state security outfits, are crucial measures aimed at preventing any undue interference or intimidation during the electoral process. The IGP emphasizes that these restrictions are implemented to safeguard the integrity of the elections and guarantee equal participation for all citizens of the affected states.
“The IGP urges political parties, candidates, and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly and in accordance with the electoral laws, as any attempt to disrupt the electoral process or violate the established guidelines will be met with the full force of the law.”
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