INEC Speaks On By-Election In Anambra

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it has not received a request to conduct a by-election to fill the vacant Anambra South Senatorial District seat, following the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.

THE WHISTLER reported that the senator who represented Anambra South on the platform of the All Progressives Congress or APC, died in July 2024, in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom.

Dr Elizabeth Agu, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, who spoke at a stakeholders’ dialogue organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Awka, Anambra State, explained that INEC is awaiting a request from the Senate to conduct the by-election. 

“INEC is ready for the Anambra South Senatorial District by-election but the Senate has to write to us to request to replace the vacant seat before we can conduct the election. 

“The electoral body has made preparations for the election and is ready to conduct it anytime it receives a request from the Senate to fill the vacant seat,” Agu said.

The REC also urged the Anambra public, especially politicians, to play by the rules as the state prepares for the November 8 governorship poll. She assured that the INEC would ensure that people’s votes counted.

In his keynote address, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and former REC in the state emphasised the importance of public trust in the electoral process. 

He said, “Trust is a process that goes up or down and is affected by fraud and irregularities, unprofessional conduct of officials, poor legal framework, partisan bias and others.

“This is why INEC has transferred the announcement of the result to vice-chancellors.”

Also speaking, the programme’s chairman, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, noted that the election process requires the cooperation of multiple stakeholders working effectively towards a credible outcome.