The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has slated 15 outstanding bye-elections across 11 States for Saturday, December 5. The Commission disclosed this at a review meeting on November 13. In a statement by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the Commission came to this decision following consultations with election stakeholders. The outstanding elections are to fill six vacant seats in the Senate, and nine State Houses of Assembly seats.
It will be recalled that the elections had earlier been scheduled to hold on October 31 but put on hold by INEC on October 22, following the #EndSARS protests and its aftermath, which manifested in security challenges and general unrest in many States across Nigeria. Other reasons for the postponement include reports of natural disasters and other emergencies in some parts of the country. The rampage that ensued after the protests by vandals, adversely affected some election stakeholders such as the police, as several structures and equipment belonging to the Nigeria Police were either looted or vandalised. It was in the light of this development that INEC exercised its powers as contained in section 26(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which empowers the Commission to postpone an election where it has reason to believe that a serious breach of peace is likely to occur if the election proceeds as scheduled or where natural disasters and other emergencies make it impossible to conduct elections.