From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Borno said it has concluded necessary preparations to hold bye-elections for the two vacant seats in the state House of Assembly on Saturday.
INEC Resident Electoral Commission in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim told newsmen at a Press Conference on Thursday in Maiduguri, Borno capital the bye-elections for the state constituencies hold in Bayo and Ngazai local governments Saturday.
Two members of the House of Assembly representing Bayo and Ngazai State Constituencies died in the heat of Coronavirus pandemic, making the seats vacant. INEC said bye election to fill the vacancies earlier fix for October was postponed due to the anti-police brutality protests in most parts of the country
“The commission had earlier fixed 31st October, 2020 for holding bye elections across the country, the sudden eruption of the EndSARS protests pose some security challenges, necessitating the postponement of the election. The commission had now fixed 5th December, 2020 as the new day the election will hold,” he disclosed.
He said the bye election will take place in 59 polling units, eight voting points in 10 registration area with 49, 319 registered voters in Bayo Local Government in the southern part of Borno. He explained that only 47,742 of the registered voters have collected their voters card and would be eligible to vote on Saturday in the area.
He said Ngazai has 85 polling units with two voting points in 12 registration areas with 34,871 registered voters out of which only 32, 027 are in possession of their voters card to perform their franchise.
He said all arrangement for security and other logistics including movement of Electoral material have been concluded. He said the commission has also conducted adequate awareness in the two local governments.
Borno has 27 local governments with 28 state legislative Constituencies in the House of Assembly.