Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said reruns and bye-elections may be held across the country in February 2024. Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, stated this, yesterday, at a consultative meeting with leaders of political parties in Abuja.
Yakubu said the elections would address gaps created by court orders, resignations, and deaths within state and federal legislatures.
He said that following the conduct of the 2023 General Elections, courts have ordered the Commission to conduct re-run elections in 34 constituencies, made up of one senatorial district, 11 federal constituencies and 22 state Assembly constituencies.
Yakubu explained that the elections to be conducted were in two categories, saying the Election Petition Appeal Tribunals set up in the aftermath of the 2023 General Elections gradually wind up their proceedings, the commission is required to conduct re-run elections in some constituencies by court order.
He said INEC is also required to conduct bye-elections to fill vacancies arising from the death or resignation of members of the national and state Houses of Assembly.
He explained that the commission intends to combine and conduct two categories of elections on the same day, the details of which, he said. would be discussed at the meeting.
He said: “As you are aware, re-run elections only involve the parties and candidates that participated in the general election unless a party wishes to replace a deceased candidate.
“However, bye-elections are fresh elections. Consequently, political parties must conduct fresh primaries within the limited period of time provided by law.
“So far, the Election Petition Appeal Tribunals have ordered the Commission to conduct re-run elections in 34 constituencies, made up of one senatorial district, 11 federal constituencies and 22 state Assembly constituencies.
“I want to assure you that at the end of all the litigations, including governorship elections pending on appeal at the Supreme Court, the Commission will present a comprehensive analysis of the petitions, including cases where the Commission was ordered to issue Certificates of Return to other candidates and the reasons for the decisions by the courts as part of the lessons learned from the 2023 General Election for the consequential reforms to improve the conduct of future elections.”