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Nominate Only Fresh Candidates For Bye-Elections- INEC Tells Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on political parties to nominate new candidates for upcoming bye-elections to fill vacant state and federal legislative seats.

According to INEC, 23 legislative seats have become vacant since the inauguration of the current national and state assemblies in June 2023.

Speaking at the first quarterly meeting with political parties, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, revealed that the Commission conducted nine bye-elections early last year, with an additional 14 vacancies arising since then.

“In turn, a member of the State Assembly won the bye-election to the House of Representatives, thereby creating a vacancy in the State Assembly. Consequently, one bye-election led to three bye-elections,” he said.

He said bye-elections “also divert the Commission’s attention from its other extensive electoral responsibilities”.

Yakubu further said that over the last nine years, since 2016, INEC under his watch has been advocating for a more cost effective alternative for filling vacancies, as in the case of many other jurisdictions around the world.

He said the Commission has “similarly been appealing to stakeholders, including political parties, to join the advocacy for the National Assembly to amend the law accordingly”.

“Just three weeks ago, we canvassed this position once again during the defense of our 2025 budget before the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives at the National Assembly.

“We appeal to you as leaders of political parties to nominate fresh candidates for this bye-elections, instead of serving members, so that we don’t have to conduct several by elections.

“I want on this note to thank the leaders of political parties. Before we conducted the first set of elections in February last year, there were two vacancies in the Senate and four or five vacancies in the House of Representatives. I’m very happy to say that all the political parties responded positively.

“I wish that we’ll continue in this cooperative spirit, so that we’ll be conducting one bye-election for one constituency rather than three bye-elections for one constituency.”

…….

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