The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met today Thursday 8th July 2021 and discussed a number of issues including the conduct of outstanding bye-elections.
The Commission has received a communication from the National Assembly in which the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, declared vacancy for Lere Federal Constituency of Kaduna State. This followed the death on 6th April 2021 of the serving member for the Constituency, Hon. Suleiman Aliyu Lere.
Consequently, the Commission has fixed Saturday 14th August 2021 for the conduct of bye-election to fill the vacant seat for the said Constituency in the House of Representatives.
The official notification for the election will be published on 12th July 2021. Political parties shall conduct their primaries between 13th and 24th July 2021.
The Access Code for online submission of nomination forms will be available for collection from 24th July 2021 at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja while the last day for submission of the list of nominated candidates is 27th July 2021 at 6.00pm.
Political parties shall submit the names of their Polling Agents for the election to the INEC Electoral Officer for Lere Local Government Area on/or before 31st July 2021 and campaigns by political parties shall end on 12th August 2021.
The detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the bye-election has been uploaded on the Commission’s website and social media platforms.
The Commission wishes to reiterate that in view of the recent conclusion of work on the expansion of voter access to Polling Units in the country and the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), the bye-election will hold based on the voters’ register as well as the Polling Units and Voting Points for the 2019 General Election across the Constituency covering Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Commission enjoins all political parties to strictly adhere to the Timetable and Schedule of Activities and avoid rancorous primaries and violence during the campaigns and throughout the electoral process.
Political parties must conduct valid party primaries in accordance with section 87(4c) of the Electoral Act and pay close attention to section 285 of the Constitution and section 87(9) of the Electoral Act on the implications of willful disregard of the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the provisions of the guidelines of a political party for conduct of party primaries.