Ifeanyi Ubah: No request yet from senate for Anambra south by-election, says REC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has not received a request from the senate for a by-election in the Anambra south district to replace the late Ifeanyi Ubah.

The late Ubah, who represented Anambra south in the senate, died in a London hospital in July 2024.

Elizabeth Agu, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Anambra, spoke on Thursday at a stakeholders’ dialogue organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Awka, the state capital.

Agu affirmed that INEC is prepared to conduct the election as soon as it receives an official request from the senate.

“INEC is ready for the Anambra south senatorial district by-election but the senate has to write us to request the replacement of the vacant seat before we can conduct the election,” she said.

She called on the people of Anambra, especially politicians, to play by the rules as the state prepares for the November 8 off-cycle governorship election.

Nkwachukwu Orji, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), who spoke at the event, said public trust is crucial to a participatory and successful election.

Nkwachukwu, a former REC in the state, said voter apathy is an indication that there are things that are wrong in the electoral process, including a high trust deficit.

He said though INEC has the constitutional right to supervise the electoral process, it had allowed other members of the society to be part of the process to boost public trust.

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

Lanre Arogundade, the IPC executive director, said recommendations from the dialogue would be shared with relevant authorities for enhancement of the democratic processes.

“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,” he said.

“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.”