Bye-election: INEC fixes new date for Zamfara supplementary election

The electoral commission, INEC, has announced a new date for the supplementary bye-election for Bakura Zamfara House of Assembly polls. The new date is December 8 and elections will only be held in 14 polling units were elections were earlier cancelled.

A spokesperson for the commission, Festus Okoye, in a statement he signed Sunday, said the decision was made to ensure that the supplementary election is properly secured.

He also disclosed that the commission may cluster polling units where the polls would be held to avoid the disruptions experienced in the Saturday’s election.

“The Commission met on Sunday, 6th December 2020 and decided to remobilize and conclude the elections on Wednesday, 9th December 2020. In order to ensure that the Supplementary Election is properly secured. He said.

“The Commission is considering clustering the affected Polling Units to prevent the disruptions experienced on 5th December 2020. The details will be worked out by the INEC State Office in Gusau after consultation with stakeholders.

The INEC returning officer of the state House of Assembly by-election had declared the exercise inconclusive.

Meanwhile, the INEC REC officer, Ibrahim Magawata, said after the collation of the result of the votes cast, the two major contenders – the APC and PDP – scored 16,464 and 18,645 votes respectively, giving a difference of 2,181.

Mr Magawata further said the results from 14 polling units were cancelled due to over-voting.

While issuing a new date for the elections, INEC also issued warnings to citizens who are not voting to keep away from the 14 polling units as only election staff, accredited voters and security personnel would be allowed at locations.

INEC also called on electoral stakeholders to cooperate with the commission for the successful conclusion of the supplementary polls.

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“The Commission warns all those who have no business with the conduct of the Supplementary Election to keep away from the 14 Polling Units as only election staff, security agencies, voters, accredited observers and media, as well as polling agents, are entitled to be at the locations.

“The Commission is determined to conclude the election and will not condone further attacks on its staff and destruction of materials.

“We urge all the stakeholders to cooperate with the Commission for the successful conclusion of the Bakura State Constituency bye-election,” he said.

INEC had conducted the Bakura State House of Assembly bye-elections on Saturday following the death of Tukur Jekada who represented the constituent.