The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed dates to conduct bye-elections into different vacancies of legislative houses, which resulted from resignations or deaths of elected lawmakers.
Recall that the presiding officers of the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assemblies had subsequently declared ad empty.
The INEC, on Friday, said nine bye-elections and 35 re-run elections, will hold on February 3rd 2024, in different constituencies across the country.
The National Commissioner and Chairman Information Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun in a statement issued in Abuja, said the commission scheduled the conduct of party primaries and resolution of disputes arising from the primaries from 5 to 9 January.
The commencement of the campaign in public begins on 18 January and ends 1 February.
According to him, the commission is also conducting re–run elections in 35 constituencies, resulting from the verdicts of the various election petition tribunals.
He said there are two vacancies in the Senate, four in the House of Representatives and three state constituencies spanning nine states of the federation.
Mr. Olumekun said the elections will be held simultaneously on the 3 February.
“Furthermore, the Commission is conducting re-run elections stemming from the 2023 General Election, as directed by various Election Petition Appeal Tribunals. Currently, 35 Constituencies are affected by these Court-ordered elections. While three cover entire constituencies, others involve only a few Polling Units,” he said.
According to him, the affected constituencies, according to INEC included Ebonyi South Senatorial District in Ebonyi State and Yobe East Senatorial District in Yobe State.
In the House of Representatives, INEC said there are vacancies for Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency in Ondo State; Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency, Taraba State; Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, Lagos State; and Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency, Kebbi State.
He said the deadline for submitting nomination forms begins on 10 January and ends on 14 January at 6 p.m.
“The timetable for the elections, along with detailed delimitation data (i.e. registration areas, polling unit names, the number of registered voters and PVCs collected), has been uploaded to our website and social media platforms as a guide to political parties and candidates, and for public information”, he stressed.