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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed as incorrect the report that it intends to conduct supplementary elections arising from the presidential and national assembly elections together with Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections.
It warned that it has not scheduled the conduct of supplementary elections arising from the presidential and national assembly elections.
In a statement signed by National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the commission announced that it will fix date for the supplementary poll immediately after this weekend’s election.
“The attention of 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 this weekend. 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,” the statement read.
The commission however clarified that; “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 aseembly elections on Saturday, March 18, 2023,” the commission warned in the statement.
