INEC Awaits NASS’ Notification On Vacancies

The Independent National Election (INEC) says it is awaiting formal communication on the existing vacancies in the National Assembly (NASS).
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this during an interaction with political editors of media organisations last Saturday in Lagos.
Yakubu said that the commission had five bye-elections to conduct, to fill the existing vacancies, but it was still awaiting official communication  from the National Assembly to declare the seats vacant.
He said while the law compelled INEC to conduct bye-elections within stipulated time, it was the presiding officers of the National Assembly or State House of Assemblies that could declare any seat vacant.
“We have no any power to declare the  seat of any lawmaker vacant”.
“The moment the returning officers make announcement declaring a candidate winner, only the court of law can reverse it.
“We cannot declare vacancy and conduct bye-election unless there is a formal communication from the presiding officers of that Assembly.
“So this is not a matter under the control of the commission.’’
Yakubu also disclosed that the commission had slightly redesigned its voter register to take care of incidence where the smart card readers could not read the fingerprints of the owner.
Answering a question on the challenge of insecurity and registration of voters, Yakubu said despite the security situation the commission had high number of register voters in some states with security challenge including Benue and Borno.
He said that was possible as it was easier to register people in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps than to register people who go individually to various registration units.
“Most interesting for me is that Benue has also recorded one of the highest numbers of registrants in the on-going CVR”.
“What I find most reassuring in Benue is that in spite of the security challenge people are still interesting in voting.’’
Speaking on INEC preparation for Ekiti governorship election scheduled for the July 14, Yakubu said that the commission was working with security agencies  to have peaceful election.
Yakubu also disclosed that a new design voter register with a provision for a column to take care of cases where the smart card reads could not read finger prints of the owner would be deployed for the election.