Reps Hit Back at INEC for Advising Parties to Exclude Serving Lawmakers in Bye-Elections

The House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has countered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for advising political parties to exclude serving lawmakers from contesting bye-elections.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, while addressing Parliamentary Correspondents stated that there is no existing law stopping serving lawmakers or political office holders from contesting bye-elections.

Hon. Balogun emphasized that INEC’s suggestion is not backed by the Electoral Act and is merely an advice that parties can choose to accept or reject. He argued that restricting serving lawmakers from contesting bye-elections would be undemocratic and unfair.

The lawmaker also noted that using serving lawmakers to replace vacant seats is a common practice, citing examples of Governor Diri Douye and his deputy in Bayelsa, Monday Okpebholo and his deputy in Edo State, who contested and won elections while serving as lawmakers.

He urged political parties and electorates to consider fielding serving lawmakers for high elective positions, especially in bye-elections, due to their acquired experience in lawmaking.

“But that’s not part of our Electoral Act, and it’s not part of whatever we are considering for now, to make such law to restrict anybody from contesting.

“And personally, if I have to even advise, it’s even better you use serving members who are experienced in the field because if you talk about replacing a Senator, you should be looking at a Rep member to replace such a person.

“And it’s unfortunate that it came as a by-election. Naturally, after every season, every dispensation, most of the people that contest for a Senatorial seat are usually former House members.

“So it’s unfortunate that this thing happened, people die or some are due to resignation. But if such opportunity comes, we should not restrict it to certain people. We should leave it open for everybody. This is a democracy; let the person with the highest number win.

“That’s what democracy is all about. It’s about the number. So, we should not restrict it. And he is a technocrat, he might just feel let me just save money.

“But when talking about politics, it’s not just about money. It’s about interest. It’s about what the people want. So let the wish of the people prevail in every federal constituency and senatorial district, and even in Nigeria at large.

“Like I said, it’s not part of our law, so it’s advice. So it’s either you take the advice if it’s convenient for you, or you don’t take it.

“Advice is not a law. And I don’t think anybody who has a candidate that wants to vote for will feel good if they say his or her own candidate has been disqualified by the INEC Chairman unlawfully.

“So, I advise anybody interested in contesting to continue with his ambition and let the people in their own constituency make their decision.

“So, I think no party can put that into their law or has put it in their law for now, and I don’t think it will. It will be unlawful for anybody to be excluded on such a basis. So that’s my own candid opinion,” he said.