The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Aug. 14 for Lere Federal Constituency by-election in Kaduna State.
Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Okoye said the commission met on Thursday and discussed a number of issues including the conduct of outstanding by-elections.
He said that INEC received a communication from the National Assembly in which the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, declared vacancy for the federal constituency.
This according to him, this followed the death of the lawmaker representing the Constituency, Mr Suleiman Lere on April 6.
“Consequently, the commission has fixed Saturday Aug. 14 for the conduct of by-election to fill the vacant seat for the said constituency in the House of Representatives.
“The official notification for the election will be published on July 12 while political parties shall conduct their primaries between July 13 and July 24.
“The Access Code for online submission of nomination forms will be available for collection from July 24 at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja while the last day for submission of the list of nominated candidates is 6p.m., on July 27,’’ he said.
Okoye advised political parties to submit the names of their polling agents to INEC Electoral Officer for Lere Local Government Area (LGA) on/or before July 31, saying that campaigns by political parties shall end on Aug. 12 for the bye-election.
He said the detailed timetable and schedule of activities for the by-election had been uploaded on the commission’s website and social media platforms.
Okoye reiterated that the by-election would hold based on the voters’ register as well as polling units and voting points for the 2019 general election across the constituency covering Lere LGA of Kaduna State.
This, according to him was in view of the recent conclusion of work on the expansion of voter access to polling units in the country and the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
The commission enjoined all political parties to strictly adhere to the timetable and schedule of activities to avoid rancorous primaries and violence during the campaigns and throughout the electoral process.
He, however, advised political parties to conduct valid primaries in accordance with section 87(4c) of the Electoral Act.
Okoye also advised them to pay close attention to Section 285 of the Constitution and section 87(9) of the Electoral Act on the implications of willful disregard to the provisions of the constitution, the electoral Act and the provisions of the guidelines of a political party for conduct of party primaries. (NAN)
