By-elections Roundup: Violence, Transport Problems, Irregularities,Force Suspension In Four States
•INEC halts voting in Kano, Enugu, A’Ibom, Plateau over disruption
•Police arrest offenders, vote-buying, low turnout in Lagos, Enugu, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Sokoto, others
The rerun elections conducted in some states on Saturday in 26 states of the federation were characterised by violence, vote-buying, ballot snatching, disruption and low turnout of voters.
The Independent National Electoral Commission conducted by-elections in nine states for two senators, four members of the House of Representatives and three members of state Houses of Assembly to replace members who passed away or resigned their memberships of the assemblies.
In other states, re-run elections took place at designated constituencies and polling units as ordered by-election appeal tribunals.
INEC said the elections were to fill vacancies in three senatorial districts, 17 federal and 28 state constituencies spread across 80 local government areas, 575 registration areas/wards and 8,934 polling units, involving 4,904,627 registered voters out of which 4,613,291 permanent voter cards collected were accredited for use.
However, the exercise did not go as planned in many of the polling units as reports of thuggery, ballot-snatching and intimidation of voters were recorded, while security agents made some arrests.
Some of the issues forced INEC to suspend the polls in some of the polling units in Kano, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Plateau states.
Polls suspension
The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Sam Olumekun, disclosed the suspension of the polls in 20 polling units in the affected states in a statement on Saturday.
INEC had earlier stated that it was probing disruptions that occurred during the rerun/by-elections in Enugu, Akwa Ibom and Kano states.
It said, “Generally, polls opened promptly and accreditation going on smoothly in the 8,934 polling units in 26 states involved in today’s bye-elections and re-run elections.
“However, we are monitoring reported disruption of processes by acts of thuggery and hijacking of materials in some locations in Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Kano states.”
However, in its latest updates, the commission stated that the suspension was a result of irregularities and abduction of election officials.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission announces the suspension of ongoing re-run elections in specific constituencies due to disruptions, irregularities and abduction of election officials. The affected areas are as follows:
“Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State: Suspension of elections in two Polling Units (Village Hall, EdemUrua 003 in Ini LGA and Village Hall Mbiabong Ikot Udo 003 in Ikono LGA) where all election materials were carted away by hoodlums.
“Enugu South 1 State Constituency, Enugu State: Suspension of elections in all eight polling units where the original results sheets were not available for inspection by voters before the commencement of polls.
“Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency, Kano State: Suspension of elections in all 10 polling units in the Kunchi LGA due to invasion, vandalism, and disruption by thugs.”
The commission noted that the suspension “aligns with the provisions of Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022,” and urged security agencies to investigate the incidents.
The statement added, “Further necessary measures for the affected constituencies will be announced after the commission’s meeting on Monday.
“INEC invites the security agencies to investigate the incidents, while the commission commits to thoroughly interrogating any breaches involving its officials.”
INEC declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Kayode Laguda, winner of the bye-election conducted for the Surulere Federal Constituency 1 of Lagos State.
The commission announced that 11,943 votes were cast, out of which 11,801 were valid and 138 were rejected.
Laguda obtained a total of 11,203 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Jerry Afemikhe of the Peoples Democratic Party, who garnered 278 votes, while the candidate of the Labour Party, Adeola Adebanjo, got 240 votes.
The INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof Adebayo Oladipo, pronounced Laguda as duly elected having won in all the polling units in the constituency.
The bye-election was to elect a replacement for the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is currently the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
It, however, recorded a low turnout of voters across the various units and wards.
For instance, at Polling Unit 017 Ward 8, Alhaji Masha Road, Adeniran Ogunsanya, as of 2pm, only 198 voters were accredited to vote out of the 1,154 registered in the area. The same scenario played out at PU 037 as only 41 of the 172 registered voters came to vote.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, while he is presently on his M.Sc programme also in Mass Communication, at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is currently the NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
