Just In : INEC excludes PDP from Saturday by-election
The stage is set for tomorrow’s by-elections into the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats across 26 states.
Already, sensitive materials have been distributed to the affected polling districts and constituencies by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the commission said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not participate in the election in Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, based on the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The court had nullified the victory of PDP House of Assembly members in the state, following the party’s failure to conduct its Congresses according to laid down rules.
Also in Ebonyi, a High Court in Abakaliki nullified the candidacy of Silas Onu, being fielded by the PDP.
Apart from Plateau and Ebonyi, states where the rerun will hold are Yobe, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and Cross River.
Others are Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
The seats became vacant, following the appointment of the senators and House of Representatives members as ministers by President Bola Tinubu.
Also, in some states, the reruns were ordered by the court due to irregularities that marred the previous exercise.
No fewer than 4,567,689 eligible voters are expected to participate in the elections; 2,189,171 voters will participate in in two senatorial districts, four federal constituencies and three state constituencies.
Also, 2,220,912 voters will participate in the Court ordered rerun into the National Assembly, while 157,606 voters will participate in the elections into Houses of Assembly.
By-elections will be conducted in two senatorial districts of Ebony South and Yobe East, four federal constituencies in Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo and Taraba and three state constituencies in Benue, Borno and Kaduna states.
Also, court ordered rerun elections will take place in one senatorial district of Plateau Central, 12 federal constituencies in 10 states and 25 state Assembly seats in 16 states.
The Federal constituencies where elections will take place are Surelere 1 (Lagos), Yauri/Shanta/Ingaski and Arewa/Dandi (Kebbi), Akoko North East/North West (Ondo), Jalingo/Yorro/Zing (Taraba), Ikono/Ini (Akwa Ibom) and Akamkpa/Biase (Cross River State).
