INEC fixes date to conduct 28 reruns, by-elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced its plan to conduct 28 outstanding elections across 11 states in Nigeria. 

The chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure at the State House in Abuja while briefing journalists on Wednesday, January 7. 

Yakubu after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and some other top officials of the commission said INEC has fixed a date for the elections.

Channels Television reports that Yakubu said the elections will take place on Saturday, January 25. He also said that 28 elections were part of the 30 annulled by various courts in Nigeria over numerous petitions.

Also speaking at the meeting which had the director-general of the State Security Services, Yusuf Bichi, and the chief of staff to the president, Abba Kyari, all present, the inspector general of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said the police and its personnel were ready to stop ballot box-snatching. 

INEC fixes date to conduct 28 reruns, by-elections

Adamu also said that the Police will ensure sanity, secure environment for the elections and make sure that other electoral malpractices are curbed during the process. In his reaction, President Buhari directed the electoral commission and the police to be fair to Nigerians during the elections. 

The president urged the commission to ensure that the game was played by the rules, without fear or favour. 

“Those that you declare as winners must be the candidates that the people have chosen. Democracy is about free will, and the will of the people must be allowed to prevail. Get your acts right, and leave no room for underhand tricks or manipulation," President Buhari.

Buhari said he is determined to give Nigerians an electoral system that meets with best practices anywhere in the world. 

Addressing the inspector general of Police, the president said: “Our elections must be done in the violence-free atmosphere. The process must be free, fair, decent, devoid of intimidation or malpractices."

“It is the duty of the police to accomplish that, and it is what I expect in the elections immediately ahead and going forward," Buhari said.

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