Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked a report stating that it will conduct supplementary elections alongside the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections holding on Saturday.
A statement by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye on Friday said a date would be fixed for the supplementary elections that arose from the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.
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Okoye however noted that the two National Assembly elections in Enugu and Edo states earlier suspended by the commission and rescheduled for various reasons would hold alongside the governorship and state Assembly elections.
The statement read;
The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission has been drawn to a news report that conveyed the impression that the commission intends to conduct supplementary elections arising from the presidential and National Assembly elections together with the governorship and state Assembly elections that will take place on Saturday, March 18, 2023. This is not correct.
The commission has not scheduled the conduct of supplementary elections arising from the presidential and National Assembly elections. For clarity, the supplementary elections will take place on a date to be announced by the commission immediately after the governorship and state Assembly elections.
However, this should not be confused with the two National Assembly elections earlier suspended by the commission and rescheduled to hold along with the governorship and state Assembly elections. First is the Enugu East Senatorial District election which was countermanded to allow the Labour Party conduct a fresh primary election to replace its deceased candidate in line with the provision of Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act 2022. The second is the Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben federal constituency of Edo State following issues with the ballot paper for the election. These are not supplementary but main elections that could not be held earlier.
Okoye advised the public to disregard any report alluding to the conduct of supplementary elections alongside the governorship and state Assembly elections on Saturday (today).
