The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties to nominate fresh candidates for upcoming bye-elections to fill vacant legislative seats at the state and federal levels.
The Commission notes that these vacancies, which have increased significantly over the past year and a half, are challenging to manage due to their unpredictable and unbudgeted nature.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, spoke on the issue during the first quarterly meeting of the year with political party leaders. He noted that since the inauguration of the current national and state assemblies in June 2023, vacancies have arisen in 23 constituencies.
Prof. Yakubu disclosed that INEC conducted nine bye-elections early last year, while 14 additional vacancies have occurred since then, resulting in significant strain on the Commission’s resources and planning.
The Chairman explained that bye-elections often lead to further bye-elections. He cited examples where a House of Representatives member vacates their seat after winning a Senate bye-election, creating a new vacancy.
In turn, a State Assembly member might win the House of Representatives bye-election, leading to yet another vacancy at the state level.
“This chain reaction means that one bye-election can result in three separate bye-elections,” Yakubu noted. He further added that the frequent occurrence of such elections diverts INEC’s attention from its broader electoral responsibilities.
Yakubu also reiterated the Commission’s long-standing advocacy for a more cost-effective way of addressing legislative vacancies, similar to practices in other countries. He said that INEC has consistently appealed to stakeholders, including political parties, to support legislative amendments that would streamline the process.
“We appeal to you as leaders of political parties to nominate fresh candidates for these bye-elections, instead of serving members, to avoid creating further vacancies,” he said. Yakubu expressed gratitude to political parties for their cooperation in previous elections and urged them to maintain this positive approach.
