David Onimisi Lawani

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it has fixed the conduct of Bye-election into the vacant seat of Ekiti East for Saturday 20th March 2021 for Constituency 1 of Ekiti State

Festus Okoye, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee made this known in a statement in INEC portal saying the vacancy arose as a result of the death of Hon. Adegbuyi Oluwajuwa Amos,, member representing Ekiti East Constituency 1 in the House of Assembly and the subsequent declaration of vacancy for the Constituency by the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye.

He noted: ” Consequently, the Commission has fixed Saturday 20th March 2021 for the conduct of the bye-election to fill the vacant seat for the Ekiti East Constituency 1 of Ekiti State.

” The official notification for the election will published today Wednesday 24th February 2021. Political Parties shall conduct their primaries between 26th February and 3rd March 2021 while the last day for submission of list of nominated candidates is at 6pm on the 8th March 2021″, he said.

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He adds that the Access Code for the nomination forms shall be available for collection from 26th February 2021 at the Commission’s headquarters.

INEC urged political parties willing to present candidates for the election to watch out for the INEC Timetable and schedule of activities saying the conduct of their party primary should be in compliance with the electoral act.

” The Commission enjoins all political parties intending to field candidates to pay close attention to the Timetable and Schedule of Activities and to conduct transparent and valid party primaries that meet the provisions of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).

” Political parties must note that under section 31(8) of the Electoral Act, 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.

“The detailed Timetable and Schedule of activities has been uploaded on the Commission’s website and social media platform”, the statement read.