The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently announced that it will conduct nine bye-elections and 35 re-run elections on February 3, 2024. The elections will be held in Lagos, Ondo, Kebbi, Taraba, Yobe, Benue, Kaduna, Ebonyi and Borno states.
Since the announcement, there have been reactions from several stakeholders as to why INEC is moving to conduct re-run and bye-elections barely a year after the 2023 general election.
Why INEC conducts bye-elections?
A bye-election becomes necessary when an elected official resigns, dies, or is recalled from office. This means when an elected position becomes (formally) vacant, the electoral umpire (INEC) is expected to conduct a bye-election.
A re-run is conducted where the election does not meet the constitutional standard or there is a pronouncement by a court of competent jurisdiction. Should an aggrieved candidate approach the court, the court may upturn the decision of the electoral umpire and order a fresh election in the affected polling units.
It is on this premise that INEC is conducting nine bye-elections and 35 re-run elections across nine states of the federation. However, the states have peculiar reasons for the conduct of these elections.
Bye-elections due to resignation by elected officials
INEC will conduct bye-elections in two senatorial districts of Ebonyi South and Yobe East due to the appointment of Dave Umahi and Ibrahim Geidam as members of the federal executive council. The duo were senators until Bola Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, appointed Umahi as minister of works and Geidam as minister of police affairs. They had to resign as senators and join the executive arm of government, and their seats were declared vacant by the Senate President and communicated to INEC.
The gale of resignation was recorded at the House of Representatives, necessitating the conduct of bye-elections to fill the vacant seats.
In Lagos state, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was representing Surulere I federal constituency , was appointed as the Chief of Staff to the president. Therefore, he resigned his legislative position to work as the president’s top aide.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo from Ondo state, who currently serves as the minister of interior, resigned his membership as a legislator. He was representing the Akoko North-east/ Akoko North-west federal constituency. Hence, the seat was declared vacant, and the re-run is expected to provide the next person to fill the vacant position.
In Kebbi state, Tanko Sununu, representing Yauri/ Shanga/ Ngaski federal constituency at the House of Representatives, resigned to join the federal executive council. He was appointed as the minister of state for education by Bola Tinubu. Hence, the need for INEC to conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant legislative seat of Yauri/ Shanga/ Ngaski federal constituency.
Bye-election due to the death of an elected official
In Taraba state, a bye-election will be conducted due to the death of Ismaila Maihanchi, who was elected as the honourable member to represent the Jalingo/ Yorro/ Zing federal constituency. He died after being declared the duly elected candidate but before the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly.
Re-run elections due to court judgement
After the 2023 general election, some aggrieved parties approached the tribunal to upturn the results declared by INEC and requested for re-run elections. In some instances, elections were marred by violence and substantiated malpractices, necessitating the cancellation of votes and the call for a re-run in the affected polling units.
Hence, the a need for a re-run in three state constituencies of Benue, Borno and Kaduna. Other affected state constituencies include Guma in Benue State, with one LGA, 116 PUs and 63,529 registered voters; Chibok in Borno State, comprising one LGA, 118 PUs and 55,498 registered voters; and Chikun in Kaduna State, involving 543 PUs and 334,071 registered voters.
INEC has therefore announced February 3, 2024 as the date for all the re-run and bye-elections across the affected states of the country.