Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says supplementary elections will take place on a date to be announced by the Commission immediately after the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
They added that there will not be scheduled conduct of supplementary elections arising from the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
INEC disclosed this in a statement on Friday disregarding reports alluding to the conduct of supplementary elections alongside the Governorship elections.
Supplementary elections: INEC stated that its attention has been drawn to a news report that conveyed the impression the Commission intends to conduct supplementary elections arising from the Presidential and National Assembly together with the Governorship and State Assembly elections that will take place on Saturday 18 March 2023, they added:
- “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.
Senatorial elections: INEC added 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 to 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.
INEC advised Nigerians to disregard any report alluding to the conduct of supplementary elections alongside the Governorship and State assembly elections.
What you should know
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that the March 18 governorship and state houses of assembly elections will be more demanding than the presidential election and urged the security agencies to be on alert.
Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu advised political parties to caution their supporters, stressing that the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections are a contest and not war.
- Yakubu said, “The governorship and state Assembly elections this weekend involve more constituencies than the national elections held about three weeks ago. Unlike the last elections involving 470 constituencies (one presidential, 109 senatorial districts, and 360 House of Representatives seats), the state elections will involve 1,021 constituencies (28 governorship and 993 state Assembly seats). There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect. There are also local elections involving keen contests.
