INEC fixes Aba North/South byelection for March 27

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, announced March 27 for the conduct of bye-election in Aba North/South Federal Constituency of Abia State.

The seat became a vacant sequel to the death of Honourable Ossy Prestige, a 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.

INEC National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, in a statement disclosed that;

“Political Parties shall conduct their primaries between 4th and 10th March 2021 while the last day for submission of list of nominated candidates is at 6 pm on March 16, 2021.

“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 19th March 2021 and campaigns by political parties shall stop on 25th March 2021.”

The statement further advised political parties fielding candidates for the bye-election to 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).

While appealing to political parties to be tidy in their process of screening of candidates to avoid the emergence of candidates not eligible for the election, it warned that “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, 000.00.”

Nigeria recorded a slight reduction in the number of COVID-19 infections, recoveries and deaths last week, Tribune Online analysis shows.

Last week (February 14 to 20), 5,849 new cases were reported in the country, the lowest in seven weeks.

The last time Nigeria recorded such a low figure was in the December 27 to January 2 week, when it reported 5,681 cases…Aba North/South federal constituency bye-election to hold March 27 ― INEC (NIGERIAN TRIBUNE