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By-elections: APC, PDP in another test of might

FELIX NWANERI reports that the outcomes of the recent governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states have raised the stakes as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) square against each other in tomorrow’s byelections in 11 states across the country

The supremacy battle between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) comes to the fore again as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts 15 by-elections in 11 states tomorrow after both parties shared the spoil in the governorship elections that held recently in Edo and Ondo states.

While the PDP’s candidate in the Edo election, Godwin Obaseki, was declared winner by the electoral umpire, having polled 307,955 votes against 223,619 votes garnered by his main challenger and candidate of the APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC won the Ondo governorship poll through its candidate, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who polled 292,830 votes to beat PDP’s Eyotayo Jegede who scored 195,791 votes.

Though PDP’s Obaseki has been sworn-in and APC’s Akeredolu expected to be inaugurated on February 24, 2021, the battle for the governorship of both states are yet to be over as the losers are presently challenging the outcome of both polls at the courts. But as the respective legal battles rages, there is no doubt that this weekend’s by-elections provide another opportunity for each of the two main political parties to prove dominance over the other.

The by-elections in the federal and state legislative houses are due to the resignation or death of members. Six of the by-elections are to fill senatorial seats that became vacant due to the death of their former occupants and the election of Duoye Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who represented Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa West senatorial districts as governor and deputy governor of Bayelsa State, respectively.

The senatorial by-elections are to be conducted in Bayelsa Central, Bayelsa West, Cross River North, Imo North, Lagos East and Plateau South senatorial districts. The Ninth Senate has far recorded four deaths.

They include Senators Bayo Osinowo (Lagos West), Benjamin Uwajumogu (Imo North), Ignatius Longjan (Plateau South) and Rose Oko (Cross River North). The remaining by-elections are meant to fill vacant state Houses of Assembly seats. They include Nganzai State Constituency (Borno State), Bayo State Constituency (Borno State), Obudu State Constituency (Cross River State), Kosofe II State Constituency (Lagos State), Bakura State Constituency (Zamfara State) and Ibaji State Constituency (Kogi State).

INEC had earlier fixed the byelections for Saturday October 31, but they were later postponed due to the #EndSARS nationwide protests. The electoral umpire had then said that it would continue to monitor the situation in all the states and constituencies, consult with relevant stakeholders and meet to review the situation and decide on a feasible date for the elections. With normalcy restored, the commission met on November 5 to review the situation.

Though it noted among other things, the extensive damage to and vandalization of its local government offices and facilities, which affected some areas where the by-elections are scheduled to hold, December 5 (tomorrow) was picked as a new date for the polls.

A statement by INEC National Commissioner and chairman (Information and Voter Education Committee), Festus Okoye, at the end of the meeting read in part: “Based on consultations, the commission believes that security in the affected states has improved while the environmental challenges have reasonably abated. Consequently, the commission has decided to hold all the pending by-elections on Saturday December 5, 2020.

“The commission acknowledges the support, understanding and cooperation of political parties, the security agencies the media, civil society organisations and the general public as it considers the scheduling of the by-elections and in its overall efforts to reposition the electoral process and give meaning and value to the votes of the people.

“We appeal to voters and stakeholders in the states with pending by-elections to continue to cooperate with the commission in its efforts to deliver credible elections under a safe environment.” While the build-up to by-elections has been characterized by the usual pre-election intrigues, the participating parties, particularly the APC under the leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni and the Prince Uche Secondus-led PDP have not only been talking tough but boasting that they have what it takes to sweep the polls. On its part, INEC, which had the reappointment of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as its chairman confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday, has assured that it will remain an unbiased umpire.

The commission, in a statement after a meeting between its management and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from the affected states in Abuja on Tuesday, said it was satisfied with level of preparations for the by-elections given briefings from the RECs.

The election management body revealed that all the states have received all the non-sensitive materials, trained their staff and received all the funds for the by-elections. It added that most of the states have earlier had their sensitive materials delivered to the Central Bank offices in their respective capitals, while the few remaining states will receive theirs by the end of work that day. The statement read in part: “These situation reports were corroborated by National Commissioners who are already in the states to oversee the elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioners also reported that they have engaged fully with stakeholders on the by-elections and the commission wishes to thank all the stakeholders, especially communities where elections will hold and security agencies for their support.

“The security agencies have all reassured the commission that they will continue to provide professional support to the commission for the by-elections devoid of any partisan inclinations in order to reproduce the quality of elections that the nation saw in the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.”

While reminding voters and all stakeholders that the COVID-19 safety protocols would be strictly adhered to during the elections, INEC however raised concerns over the Imo North senatorial by-election.

The commission said it has experienced difficulties managing elections in the senatorial district over the years due to repeated attempts to disrupt collation of results. To ensure a hitch-free exercise in the district, the commission said has put in place additional measures to ensure that this does not happen again. One of such measures is to beef up security in the senatorial district during and after the polls.

The commission also decided that collation of local government level results will not take place in the senatorial district in order to forestall deliberate disruption of collation of results.

After collation of results at the Registration Areas, all results would be moved to the state headquarters of the commission in Owerri for local government collation and declaration of results.

This, according to the commission is in line with its powers to designate collation centres and inform stakeholders. Appealing to all stakeholders in the senatorial district to cooperate with its officials, including security agencies, to ensure that its decision is implemented peacefully, INEC warned that it would not hesitate to apply relevant sanctions to individuals or political parties that may disrupt the process.

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