The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the re-run election for Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency, Niger for February 6, 2021.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, in a statement in Abuja, said the decision was taken at the commission’s meeting on Thursday.
Okoye said that the Commission met and deliberated on a number of issues including the Court of Appeal judgement on Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency election.
He recalled that the Commission conducted a by-election in Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency on March 14
and returned Kasimu Danjuma of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as duly elected.
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However, on September 21, the Election Petitions Tribunal disqualified Danjuma and nullified his election.
On November 17, the Court of Appeal affirmed the disqualification and nullification of the said election and ordered the Commission to conduct a re-run election within 90 days from the date of the judgment.
Okoye said: “It is important to note that the disqualification and nullification of the election were based on the ground that the candidate submitted forged documents to the Commission.
“This has nothing to do with any infraction on the part of the Commission.”
Okoye said that consequently, INEC decided that Danjuma and the APC would not participate in the election, as the candidate had been disqualified and the election nullified by the Court.
He added that only duly nominated and qualified candidates of African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were eligible to participate in the election.
“Fresh nomination of candidates is not allowed in a court-ordered re-run election.”
Okoye said that the Commission would give the statutory notice of election on January 11, 2021, while political parties would submit the list of their party agents on January 29, 2021.
He noted that the last day for campaigns would be February 4, 2021.
“The timetable and schedule of activities for the election have been uploaded on the Commission’s website and social media platforms.”
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