News
Why we can’t replace Ifeanyi Uba, eight months after – INEC
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has given reasons the seats of Ifeanyi Uba, the Senator representing Anambra South and Monday Okpebholo, incumbent Governor of Edo State are still vacant at the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.
Uba, of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), died in London in July 2024, why Okpebholo, who left the Senate to campaign for his election in Edo State, had his seat declared vacant in December 2024, after he was sworn into office.
Regardless, the two seats, have not been filled alongside 14 others in the National Assembly including the House of Representatives as well as state Houses of Assembly for the main reason of paucity of funds.
The Nation reports that the situation might remain that way until funding is released, quoting officials of the commission as saying that it is actually sourcing for the necessary funding to fulfill the obligation of filling the 16 vacancies, in the affected 12 states across the country.
Against the backdrop of INEC already overshooting its timeframe for the election, and thus breaching Section 76(2) of the Constitution which prescribes a by-election into a vacant seat within one month, the Senate had passed a resolution directing INEC to hold elections into the two vacant seats in the Red Chamber.
Before then, the House of Representatives had in February resolved to also investigate the delay directing its Committee on Electoral Matters to invite the leadership of INEC to provide a detailed explanation of the reasons behind the delay.
Apart from the Senate seats in Edo and Anambra, there also five vacant House of Representatives seats in Edo, Oyo, Kaduna, Jigawa and Ogun states, while the remaining nine seats are in Houses of Assembly.
The vacant House of Representatives includes that Ovia North-South Federal Constituency vacated by Dennis Idahosa, now Deputy Governor of Edo State, Isa Dogonyaro (Garki-Babura, Jigawa); Ekene Abubakar Adams (Chikun-Kajuru, Kaduna State); Olaide Akinremi (Ibadan North, Oyo State) and Oriyomi Adewunmi Onanuga (Ikenne-Sagamu-Remo North, Ogun State), resulting from the death of the affected members.
At the first quarterly meeting of the Commission with members of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in February, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu explained that the commission has 16 outstanding by elections to conduct.
The Nation quotes Rotimi Oyekanmi, spokesman to the INEC boss as saying that the Commission must get the required resources to conduct the elections, adding that the electoral body would issue a timetable when it is ready to conduct the by elections.
The laws of the land, including the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act provide that all constituencies be represented in Parliament, the Electoral Act 2022 did not make any specific provision on the conduct of such by elections.
No single section of the law deals with by-elections explicitly. However, according to the Electoral Act 2022, by-elections are typically held to fill vacant seats in the National Assembly or State Houses of Assembly.
The Electoral Act 2022 provides guidelines for the conduct of by-elections, including the process for nominating candidates, the timeline for the election, and the procedures for voting and counting.
In a motion on the delay in conducting by elections adopted on the February 19 by the House of Representatives, Jafaru Leko (APC, Bauchi), said INEC, which was established pursuant to Section 153(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), is the sole body vested with the responsibility of conducting elections for the federal States, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Area Councils of the FCT.
According to the Bauchi lawmaker, Sections 47 and 90 of the Constitution, (as amended), outlines the establishment of the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly, ensuring the right of citizens to be represented in the federal and state legislative bodies.
He said: “Since 2023 general and subsequent elections, there have been instances of resignations, deaths, appointments, or appointments of former members of both the National and State Assemblies to executive positions.
“Section 68 of the Constitution provides for the cessation and vacation of seats of the National Assembly, whereas section 76(2) stresses the need for a bye-election to be conducted not later than one month after the vacancy occurs.
“Upon the declaration of these seats as vacant, the INEC is obligated, under the provisions of Section 76(2), to conduct by-elections to fill the vacant positions and ensure proper representation of the affected constituencies.
“Nigeria practices a constitutional democracy that the continued vacancy of these seats, without the holding of timely by-elections results in the disenfranchisement of the affected, citizens, which constitutes a violation of the constitutional principles of representation and deprives the electorates of their right to adequate representation.
“The delay in conducting the by-elections for the vacant seats is a contravention of constitutional provision, a breach of the due process and denial of the affected constituencies’ proper representation.”
He warned that electoral body’s “inaction sets a dangerous precedent, where compliance with the Constitution and electoral laws becomes optional rather than mandatory.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja nullifying the timelines issued for the conduct of party primaries and the nomination of candidates.
Alex Izinyon SAN, leading a team of lawyers of the commission in a notice of appeal dated May 25, raised nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Apart from raising the issue of jurisdiction, which it said the lower court did not determine, INEC also maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
Arguing that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant, the commission also stressed the lower court misinterpreted the provisions of the electoral act.
It said: “The high court erred in law when it held that: ‘It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
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