The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said all is set for the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja on Saturday, February 12, 2022.
The FCT is the only local government election that INEC is mandated by the constitution to conduct.
At its extraordinary meeting which held on Thursday, INEC said all is set for the Abuja Area Council elections as well as all other off season elections ahead in the year.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Mr Festus Okoye, in a statement said for the Abuja council poll, 475 candidates sponsored by all the 18 political parties are vying for the 68 constituencies. Elections are to be conducted for the six area council chairmen and 62 councillors.
He said the commission is finalizing arrangements for the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to be used in the elections for all new registrants as well as requests for transfers and replacements of damaged cards have been printed and are available in all the six Area Councils for collection.
The Commission appeals to all those who applied for fresh registration as well as those who filed for transfer or replacement of PVCs to collect them immediately to avoid last minute rush for the cards.
Okoye said in line with its tradition, the first quarterly stakeholder engagement for all political parties for the year would take place on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, while engagement with Civil Society organisations has been slated for Wednesday January 19, 2022, while the inter-agency consultative committee on election security (ICCES) meeting would hold on Thursday January 20, 2022 while it would be meeting with media organisations on Friday January 21, 2022.
Okoye further disclosed that following declarations of vacancies by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Speakers of some state Houses of Assembly, INEC has scheduled six bye-elections in four states. These are; Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency, in Ondo State, Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, as well as Pankshin South State Constituency, Plateau State.
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Others are; Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River State as well as Akpabuyo State Constituency, Cross River State and Ngor-Okpala State Constituency in Imo State. All elections has been scheduled to hold simultaneously on Saturday February 26, 2022, immediately after the FCT Area Council elections.
This, Okoye explained is to enable the Commission to clear most of the pending bye-elections, focus on the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections and the ongoing preparations for the 2023 general election.
Okoye disclosed that the Commission has decided to combine the Governorship election in Ekiti with the Ekiti East 1 state constituency election and both would now hold on June 18, 2022, adding that the Commission is consulting with security agencies and the critical stakeholders regarding filling the vacancy in Shinkafi State Constituency of Zamfara State, while the Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly has not declared vacancy in relation to Giwa State Constituency of Kaduna State.
The official notification for the elections will be published on Monday 24th January 2022. Regarding preparations for the upcoming general elections, Okoye said political parties shall conduct their primaries including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries between 26th January and 5th February 2022, while the last day for submission of list of nominated candidates is at 6pm on the 9th February 2022 and this must be done through the Commission’s online nomination portal.
“Political Parties shall submit the names of their Polling Agents for the election to the Electoral Officer of the Local Government on or before 12th February 2022 and campaigns by Political parties shall stop on 24th February 2022. The Access Code for the nomination forms shall be available for collection from 5th February 2022 at the Commission’s headquarters,” he said.
Political parties fielding candidates for the bye-elections must comply with the activities and timelines set out in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the bye-election and conduct transparent and valid direct or indirect primaries in accordance with the dictates of sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 [As amended]. Political parties must note that the aspirant with the highest number of votes at the end of voting shall be declared the winner of the primary of the party and the aspirant’s name shall be forwarded to the Commission as the candidate of the party.
Political parties that present to the Commission the name of a candidate who does not meet the qualifications stipulated in the Constitution and the Electoral Act shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction shall be liable to a maximum fine of N500,000.00. The detailed Timetable and Schedule of activities has been uploaded on the Commission’s website and social media platforms.