By Kamil Opeyemi
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has cleared the air on the reports that the commission had scheduled the supplementary elections to hold alongside with the Governorship and the State House of Assembly Elections slated for tomorrow, Saturday.
The Commission in a statement on Friday by its Commissioner, Festus Okoye stated that the report which conveyed that the Commission intends to conduct the supplementary election tomorrow was not correct.
“The Commission has not scheduled the conduct of supplementary election arising from the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
“For clarity, the supplementary elections will take place on a date to be announced by the Commission immediately after the Governorship and State Assembly elections,” Okoye said
Okoye however stressed that the two National Assembly elections earlier suspended by the Commission would hold on Saturday as rescheduled by the Commission.
According to him, first is the Enugu East Senatorial District elections which was countermanded to allow the Labour Party conduct a fresh primary election to replace its deceased candidate in line with the provision of Section 34(1) of the electoral Act 2022 while the second is the Esan Central/ Esan West Igueben Federal Constituency of Edo State following issues with the ballot paper for the elections.
“These are not supplementary but main elections that could not be held earlier.
“The public is advised to disregard any report alluding to the conduct of supplementary elections alongside the Governorship and State Assembly elections tomorrow, Saturday, 18th March 2023,” he added