The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally set August 11 for the senatorial by elections in Bauchi South in Bauchi State, Katsina North in Katsina State and Lokoja /Kogi Federal Constituency for the House of Representatives.
Occupants of seats including Senators Ali Wakili, Mustapha Bukar and Buba Jibrin died months ago, but Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara did not declare the seats vacant until recently.
Speaking yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Bauchi, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the commission received a letter from the Senate on July 13 which declared Wakili’s seat at the Senate vacant.
He therefore informed that by the receipt of the letter, INEC was mandated by Section 76 (2) and 25 (2) of the Electoral Act to conduct a by-election to fill the vacant seat within 30 days.
Abdullahi said the elections would hold in 445 voting points, 1,499 polling units in 75 wards in the seven local government areas of Bauchi South.
The seven LGAs included Bauchi, Toro, Dass, Tafawa Balewa, Bogoro, Alkaleri and Kirfi.
In Katsina, political parties and civil society organisations that attended a similar stakeholders’ meeting raised concerns ahead of the by-election.
The chairman of PDP in the state, Salisu Majigiri, said they were not comfortable with the use of electronic collation of results from wards and alleged likely involvement of government officials in election matters.
On his part, the chairman of National Conscience Party (NCP), Abdulmumin Sani, alleged likely involvement of security officials on behalf of government as well as INEC’s abuse of electoral laws by allowing parties campaigning ahead of time.
Hajiya Rabi Mohammed from one of the CSOs expressed fear that those with temporary voters card might be excluded from exercising their right to vote.
Responding, the REC in Katsina State, Jibril Zarewa, assured that INEC was a non-partisan electoral empire that would be fair to all parties.
Zarewa said mechanisms for the smooth conduct of the election were being put in place as evident in what happened in many off season elections held in many states.
He announced that the election would take place in 12 LGA’s, 1,825 polling points where 855,092 registered voters were expected to participate.
