Voting has started across some of the areas where by-elections are being held for various states and federal constituencies. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the polls are being held in 16 constituencies in Jigawa, Edo, Ogun, Oyo, Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna, Kano, Taraba, Kogi, Niger, Enugu, and Zamfara states.
The exercise is to fill vacant seats in the Senate, House of Representatives, and state houses of assembly occasioned by deaths and resignations. In the North-West, voting commenced across many polling units in Kajuru and Chikun Local Government Areas for the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency poll. The seat became vacant following the death of the former member representing the zone, Ekene Adams, who passed on last year.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is also conducting bye-elections for Sabon Gari and Zaria state constituencies. To ensure a smooth and orderly election, the Commission distributed voting materials as early as 7 am, amid tight security. INEC officials also set up polling units as early as 8 am, ensuring voting materials like ballot papers and result sheets are available.
Voters and agents of some political parties commend INEC for the early distribution of voting materials, describing it as a positive sign for a credible electoral process. Earlier, security agents in Kaduna State arrested a suspected agent, with about ₦25 million allegedly earmarked for vote-buying ahead of today’s bye-elections. The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Hassan, said the suspect, Shehu Patangi, was arrested in the early hours of Saturday morning at a popular hotel located along Turunku Road in Kaduna metropolis.
Patangi was said to be coordinating the distribution of funds for vote buying to influence voters in the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election. The statement disclosed that a total cash of ₦25.963m was recovered from the suspect, believed to be earmarked to induce voters to compromise the electoral process. According to the police, the suspect, during preliminary interrogation, confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency. Meanwhile, election materials have been sorted, and voting is about to commence in Karim Lamido 1 State Constituency by-election.
The election follows the resignation of the former member of the Taraba State Assembly, Mike Dio-Jen, who took up an appointment as the state’s commissioner for tertiary education. At Polling Unit 010 Sada, located in Jen, the BVAS machine is faulty, with voters awaiting the process to start. In Adamawa, voting has commenced in Unit 012 in the Ganye by-elections, Ganye Constituency of Adamawa state.
It is also the same in Jigawa, as voting has commenced in the Garki Local Government Area to fill the seat of a member of the House of Representatives representing the Garki/Babura federal constituency of Jigawa state who died some time ago.
