Certificate of Returns to be handed out to August 16 by-election victors on Thursday

Certificate of Returns to be handed out to August 16 by-election victors on Thursday - INEC announcement

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the conclusion of by-elections and re-run elections held across Nigeria on August 16. A total of 16 by-elections and two court-ordered re-run elections took place, with the aim of filling vacancies in various political offices.

In the re-run election held in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency of Zamfara, the violence emergency in five polling units across two Registration Areas/Wards with a total of 3,572 registered voters and 3,265 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collected necessitated the re-run.

The re-run election in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency of Zamfara has been fixed for Thursday, August 21. The affected polling units are Shiyar Magaji/Kofar Hamza, Tukasu/Sabuwar Kasuwa, Kofar Fada/Shiyar Fada, Alko/Shiyar Tudu, and SH/Nufawa/Kofar M. D. Nuhu.

According to Section 24(3) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2022, a re-run election must be held in the affected polling units to determine a winner in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency of Zamfara. The margin of lead in this constituency is 1,662 votes.

Elsewhere, the re-run elections by order of the Election Petition Appeal Tribunals were held in Enugu and Kano States. In Enugu State, Ngene Bright Emeka of the Labour Party (LP) was declared winner for Enugu South 1 State Constituency.

For the State Houses of Assembly, the Certificates of Return will be presented to members-elect by the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in state offices on Friday, August 22, at 11 a.m. The recipients include those from Ganye State Constituency of Adamawa, Onitsha North 1 State Constituency of Anambra, Basawa and Zaria/Kewaye State Constituencies of Kaduna State, Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa State constituencies of Kano State, Okura State Constituency of Kogi, Munya State Constituency of Niger, and Karim Lamido 1 State Constituency of Taraba.

In addition, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will issue certificates of return to winners of the Aug. 16 by-elections on Thursday. Five members of the House of Representatives-elect will also receive certificates, from Ovie North-East and Ovie South-West Federal Constituency of Edo, Babura/Garki Federal Constituency of Jigawa, Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency of Ogun, and Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo.

The senators-elect to receive the certificates are from Anambra South and Edo Central Senatorial Districts. The presentation of the certificates for Senators-elect and members of the House of Representatives-elect will take place at the INEC headquarters in Abuja at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Ya'u Garba Gwarmai of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the re-run election in Ghari/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State. The decision to issue certificates of return is in line with the provision of Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

Certificate of Returns to be handed out to August 16 by-election victors on Thursday - INEC announcement