Why we’re yet to conduct bye-election to replace late Ifeanyi Ubah – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is still awaiting a request from the Senate to conduct a bye-election in Anambra South District to replace the late senator, Ifeanyi Ubah.

Elizabeth Agu, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Anambra State, said this at a stakeholder’s dialogue organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Awka on Thursday.

The theme of the dialogue was “Rebuilding Trust in the Electoral Process and Election”.

Senator Ubah, who represented Anambra South District, died in July 2024.

Mrs Agu said that INEC had made preparations for the election and was ready to conduct it anytime the Senate requested to fill the vacant seat.

She called on the Anambra public, especially politicians, to play by the rules as the state prepared for the 8 November governorship election while assuring that the electoral body would ensure people’s votes counted.

Public trust crucial to election success

In his keynote lecture, Nkwachukwu Orji, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said that public trust was crucial to a participatory and successful election.

Mr Nkwachukwu, a former REC in the state, said voter apathy indicated problems with the electoral process, including a high trust deficit.

The lecturer said that though INEC had the constitutional right to supervise the electoral process, it had allowed other members of society to participate in it to boost public trust.

He said that trust issues in elections could be a result of competence or integrity.

According to him, trust is a process that goes up or down and is affected by fraud and irregularities, unprofessional conduct of officials, poor legal framework, partisan bias and others.

“This is why INEC has transferred the announcement of the result to vice-chancellors,” he said.

‘Political prophets’

The programme chairperson, Emeka Ononamadu, said the election process required the interplay of multiple collaborating stakeholders who must work effectively for a credible outcome.

Mr Ononamadu, a former REC in Enugu State and convener of the Nigeria Democracy Clinic said the stakeholders were civil society, security agencies, and the general public, all of whom should play their roles well.

He said another challenge to the election process in Nigeria was the role of “political prophets” who predicted outcomes putting the electorate and the umpire under unnecessary pressure.

In an address of welcome, Lanre Arogundade, the executive director of IPC, said the large turnout at the event indicated participants’ dedication and commitment to enhancing the electoral system.

Mr Arogundade, who was represented by Stella Nwofia, the programme manager at IPC, promised that the dialogue’s recommendations would be shared with relevant authorities to enhance democratic processes.

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“Our aim is to gather insights from all geopolitical zones in Nigeria, focusing on the urgent need to rebuild trust and foster collaboration that will improve future elections, especially following the complexities that arose during the 2023 general elections.

“Together, we can spark meaningful change and restore integrity to our elections, the road ahead may be challenging, but with collective effort and determination, we can make a difference,” he said.

(NAN)