The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Saturday 27 March 2021 for the conduct of the by-election to fill the vacant seat for the Aba North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the end of the management meeting of the commission.
According to him, the vacancy arose due to the death of Hon. Ossy Prestige, member representing Aba North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives and the subsequent declaration of vacancy for the Federal Constituency by the National Assembly.
“Consequently, the commission has fixed Saturday 27 March 2021 for the conduct of the by-election to fill the vacant seat for the Aba North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State.
“The official notification for the election will be published on Monday 1 March 2021. Political parties shall conduct their primaries between 4 and 10 March 2021 while the last day for submission of list of nominated candidates is at 6pm on the 16th March 2021,” Okoye said.
He said that political parties shall submit the names of their Polling Agents for the election to the Electoral Officers of the respective Local Governments on or before 19 March 2021 and campaigns by political parties shall stop on 25 March 2021.
He said, “The Access Code for the nomination forms shall be available for collection from 10th March 2021 at the Commission’s headquarters.
“Political parties fielding candidates for the bye-election should pay close attention to the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the bye-election and conduct transparent and valid party primaries in line with the dictates of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As amended).”
He urged the political parties to note that under section 31(8) of the Electoral Act, a political party which presents to the commission the name of a candidate who does not meet the qualifications stipulated in the Constitution and the Electoral Act shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction shall be liable to a maximum fine of N500, 000.
