We Are Yet To Fix Date For Supplementary NASS Elections — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it was yet to fix a date for supplementary National Assembly elections in about 15 States.

The Commission said what will be conducted with State Assembly and Governorship elections tomorrow are one senatorial election in Enugu and one House of Representatives poll in Edo State.

National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye in a statement explained these two elections are not supplementary but suspended elections.

The senatorial election for Enugu East was suspended because of death of the candidate of the Labour Party in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act while the election into the Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben was suspended because of the missing logo of one of the parties.

Okoye said the Commission will fix the date for the conduct of supplementary elections in areas where such are to be conducted after the governorship and state Houses of Assembly election.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been drawn to a news report that conveyed the impression that the Commission intends to conduct supplementary elections arising from the Presidential and National Assembly elections together with the Governorship and State Assembly elections that will take place on Saturday 18 March 2023. This is not correct.

“The Commission has not scheduled the conduct of supplementary elections arising from the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

“For clarity, the supplementary elections will take place on a date to be announced by the Commission immediately after the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

“However, this should not be confused with the two National Assembly elections earlier suspended by the Commission and rescheduled to hold along with the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

“First is the Enugu East Senatorial District election which was countermanded to allow the Labour Party conduct a fresh primary election to replace its deceased candidate in line with the provision of Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act 2022. The second is the Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency of Edo State following issues with the ballot paper for the election. These are not supplementary, but main elections that could not be held earlier.

“The public is advised to disregard any report alluding to the conduct of supplementary elections alongside the Governorship and State Assembly elections tomorrow Saturday 18th March 2023”.