After two years, INEC fixes date to conduct Anambra Central Senatorial election

Agency ReporterNovember 24, 2017

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed January 13, 2018, for the conduct of the re-run election to fill the vacant Anambra Central senatorial election.

According to a statement by Mohammed Haruna, a National Commissioner at INEC, the decision to finally fix a date follows a judgement on Monday by the Court of Appeal.

The seat became vacant since 2015 following the sack of Uche Ekwunife by the election tribunal. Ms. Ekwunife had earlier been declared the winner of the election by INEC.

“Since then there have been several court cases on the matter,” INEC said on Thursday.

It would be recalled that the 2015 election to fill the seat was nullified by the Election Tribunal. Since then, there have been several court cases on the matter.

On Monday, November 20th, 2017, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja delivered a judgment in which it ordered INEC to conduct the rerun election within 90 days of the judgment. Following the determination of this case, INEC has decided that all encumbrances to conduct the rerun election have now been removed. Consequently, there is presently no court order restraining INEC from conducting the election.

The Commission has considered the all the circumstances surrounding the election particularly the 90-day timeframe ordered by the Court of Appeal, the demands for preparing adequately for the election as well as the coming Yuletide and decided that the rerun election shall take place on Saturday, January 13th, 2018.

The Commission thanks, all stakeholders, particularly the people of Anambra Central Senatorial District for their patients. We hope that the delay has served to clarify some grey areas in our electoral process to make it stronger, freer, fairer and more credible.