INEC Sets February 14 for Postponed Rerun Elections

• INEC schedules supplementary elections for February 14 in Taraba State and a new rerun election in Enugu State
• Election in Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano State is postponed due to security concerns pending further discussions

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced February 14 as the date for supplementary elections necessitated by suspended polls in certain polling units during last Saturday’s rerun and by-elections.

According to Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission has scheduled a supplementary election in Taraba State and a new rerun election in Enugu State. However, the election in Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency in Kano State will be postponed due to security concerns, pending further discussions with relevant stakeholders and security agencies.

Olumekun revealed that while the by-elections were successfully concluded across designated constituencies, the final declaration was deferred in the Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency due to over-voting in certain polling units, affecting the margin of lead between candidates.

Disruptions were reported at two polling units in the Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State and across all polling units in the Enugu South State Constituency of Enugu State and Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State. These disruptions were attributed to violence, thuggery, and the hijacking of election materials.

The commission had previously suspended rerun elections in these areas in compliance with Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act 2022. However, based on additional reports from officials in the affected states, INEC supports the returning officer’s decision to announce results in the Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, as the number of registered voters in the two polling units did not impact the election outcome.

Furthermore, INEC presented certificates of return to elected federal lawmakers who emerged victorious in last Saturday’s by-elections and rerun elections nationwide. Seven political parties secured seats in both the National and State Houses of Assembly, including the Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP), New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Young Progressives Party (YPP). The recipients comprised three senators and 15 members of the House of Representatives.