Winners Of Bye-Elections To Receive Certificates Thursday, Says INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that winners of the August 16 bye-elections will be issued Certificates of Return on Thursday.

This was disclosed in Abuja by Mr. Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in a statement on Tuesday.

He explained that the exercise was in line with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, adding that the certificates for Senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect would be presented at the INEC headquarters, Abuja, by 3:00 p.m.

Those expected to receive certificates include winners from Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts, as well as five House of Representatives constituencies: Ovie North-East and Ovie South-West (Edo), Babura/Garki (Jigawa), Chikun/Kajuru (Kaduna), Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North (Ogun), and Ibadan North (Oyo).

Olumekun added that winners of the State House of Assembly elections would receive their certificates from Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the respective state offices on Friday, August 22, by 11:00 a.m.

The affected constituencies are Ganye (Adamawa), Onitsha North I (Anambra), Basawa and Zaria/Kewaye (Kaduna), Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa (Kano), Okura (Kogi), Munya (Niger), and Karim Lamido I (Taraba).

He also revealed that the commission had scheduled August 21 to conclude the by-election in five polling units of Kaura Namoda South State Constituency of Zamfara, where voting was disrupted by violence.

The polling units include Shiyar Magaji/Kofar Hamza, Tukasu/Sabuwar Kasuwa, Kofar Fada/Shiyar Fada, Alko/Shiyar Tudu, and SH/Nufawa/Kofar M. D. Nuhu, with a total of 3,572 registered voters.

Olumekun recalled that 16 bye-elections and two court-ordered re-run elections were held nationwide on August 16, covering two Senatorial Districts, five Federal Constituencies, and nine State Assembly Constituencies. He noted that results had been declared in all but the Zamfara State Assembly seat.

He further confirmed that re-run elections ordered by tribunals in Enugu and Kano had been concluded, with Ngene Bright Emeka of the Labour Party declared winner in Enugu South I Constituency, and Ya’u Garba Gwarmai of the All Progressives Congress emerging victorious in Ghari/Tsanyawa Constituency of Kano State.