•Election
Voters in 26 states of the federation will go to the polls today to fill vacancies in the National and State Assemblies.
The affected states are Ebonyi, Yobe, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau and Akwa Ibom.
The rest are Anambra, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Sokoto, and Zamfara, reports The Nation.
Prominent among the seats at stake are Ebonyi South, Yobe East and Plateau North Senatorial Districts; Shanga/Ngaski/Yauri Federal Constituency of Kebbi State; Surulere I Federal Constituency of Lagos State; Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State and Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba State.
Also being contested are Guma I State Constituency of Benue State, Chibok State Constituency of Borno State and Chikun State Constituency of Kaduna State.
There will also be election in 42 polling units in Bauchi, Katagum and Ningi in Bauchi State; Tsanyawa, Kunchi, Kura, Garin Malam, Tofa, and Rimin Gado local government areas of Kano and Birnin Kudu Buji of Jigawa State; 165 poling units in Igbo Eze North and Udenu Federal constituencies in Enugu State as well as Enugu South State Constituency.
Of interest is the election in Surulere 1 where the constituents will elect successor to former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr.Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila relinquished his seat following his appointment as Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
The election in Ebonyi South is to replace Works Minister Dave Umahi who resigned from the Senate to serve in the Tinubu Government while that of Yobe East is to replace Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam who left the Senate to take up his present position.
But the PDP candidate for Ebonyi South, Silas Onu, yesterday protested his disqualification from the by-election by a Federal High Court.
Justice Hyeladziya Nganjiwa held that the PDP gave less than 21 days notice for parties to conduct congresses for the by-election as required by the Electoral Act.
Onu faulted the ruling and said his party would go on appeal.
He said: “While we acknowledge that the judgment is contrived and deliberately done for political reasons, we are filing our notice of appeal immediately to ensure that we legally continue our participation in the election.
“Our supporters are called on to come out in their numbers and vote for PDP on Saturday 3rd February, 2024.
“Today, we received a contrived judgment from Justice Ngajiwa of the FHC Abakaliki that PDP did not give INEC 21 days Notice of Congresses for the by-election.
“It is interesting that INEC Abakaliki were the ones arguing about none issuance of 21 days notice to them. The REC, who is an active APC agent, deliberately refused to attend our activities even with notices given to them.
“They monitored our primary election and asserted so. Yet, Justice Ngajiwa chose to ignore plethora of superior Court decisions on internal party affairs, even the recent Supreme Court’s decision on Plateau State. He pretended not to know that this is a by-election and also that he doesn’t understand internal party affairs.
“The obvious design of the judgment given two days to election is to create confusion in the process and ensure that our teaming supporters are discouraged from voting – it is sad that a judge will make himself available for such a hatchet job.
“The FHC is not the final court in pre-election matters and as such our participation is sacrosanct and our votes will count. God bless the PDP and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
DSS to parties: Be of good conduct
The Department of State Services (DSS) asked the electorate and the political parties sponsoring candidates for the by-elections to be of good conduct during and after the exercises in the affected states.
The Service advised the contending parties to shun all acts capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.
Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, DSS National Headquarters, Abuja, Peter Afunanya, in a statement also called on politicians and their supporters must strive to adhere to the electoral act and procedure.
The DSS enjoined citizens to be patriotic and loyal to the Nigerian nation beyond the elections.
It urged public commentators, social critics and key players in the public space to consider the peace of the country over and above their personal or group interests.
The Service similarly urged the Media, Civil Society and Community Based Organisations to shun divisive tendencies and fake narratives likely to undermine national order.
“It is unarguable that it is only if there is a livable country that individuals, groups or corporate bodies can pursue and realise their legitimate businesses and ambitions,” the DSS said, adding that those engaging in subversive endeavours or desirous of doing so should desist.
It pledged to discharge its own mandate and “work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), other sister security and law enforcement agencies and indeed all stakeholders to ensure a hitch-free election. Additionally, it will continue to implement proactive measures to achieve the desired stability in the country.”
The Police have deployed thousands of their personnel across the affected constituencies to ensure peaceful polls .The personnel are being aided by drones.
The police also announced human and vehicular restrictions between midnight of Friday to 06:00 pm today in areas where the by-elections are scheduled to take place.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was busy all through yesterday distributing electoral materials to officials.
The Plateau State office of INEC denied social media reports that the rerun elections in Plateau North and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency had been postponed.
Head of Department, Voter Education & Publicity Department of the Commission in Plateau State, Egwurube Michael Otokpa, said the re-run elections would proceed as scheduled.
“It (INEC) has concluded all preparations for the conduct of the election,” he said.
