CENI and restoring voter confidence before new elections and by-elections

As THE Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) led reruns And by-elections In nine States of THE federation following SATURDAY, expectations are high that THE commission will to use THE elections has further build trust In THE electoral process, writing SODIQ OMOLAOYE

Never mind arrived during THE reruns And by-elections program For FEBRUARY 3, 2024, could be A model For What East has be expected In subsequent out of season elections And Ultimately THE 2027 general election.

Specifically, stakeholders believe that THE future by-elections will be A sunflower test For CENI in front of THE September 21 And November 16 Edo And Ondo States governorship elections respectively.

THE by-elections, which arose Since THE the death Or resignation of members of THE national And State legislative Houses, will be detained through nine States of THE federation.

Two senatorial districts (Ebony South And Be East); four federal constituencies (Shanga/Ngaski/Yauri Federal Constituency of Kebbi State, Surulere I Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State And Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba State); And three State constituencies (Guma I State Constituency of Benue State, Chibok State Constituency of Borno State And Chikun State Constituency of Kaduna State) will be covered In THE by-elections. In total, there are 74 candidates socket part In THE elections.

In addition, THE rebroadcast elections as order by Election Petition Call Courts will take place In 39 constituencies Translating has 2.6 by hundred of THE 1,491 constituencies For which elections were led at national scale In THE 2023 general election. While THE by-elections will be detained In nine States In 4,294 vote units, reruns will be detained In 4,596 vote units.

Currently, THE Supreme Court, which has rendered final judgments on THE majority of THE petitions concerning THE March 2023 governorship elections, has not canceled Or mandated rebroadcast elections In any of them state.

THE Supreme Court confirmed approximately 16 disputes concerning governorship elections that were below goodbye, A development a few stakeholders interpret as A validation of THE Independent National Electoral Commissions (CENI) dedication has conduct credible elections.

This result implied that THE electoral body can avoid THE distraction of organize rebroadcast elections For THE March 2023 governorship survey. He East outstanding that court decisions mandate rebroadcast elections mostly impacted THE National Assembly And State assemblies.

Although THE 2023 elections can to have come And disappeared, It is echoes keep reverberant, inciting policy experts has advise CENI has to use THE future by-elections And reruns has further build trust And trust In THE electoral process.

Already, THE electoral commission has begin preparations For THE elections by deployment non-sensitive materials has THE affected constituencies. However there are concerns about THE prevailing security situation In areas Or a few of THE elections will be detained, security the agencies, title by THE police, to have reiterated their preparation has protect THE vote process.

During A meeting of THE Interagency Advisory Committee on Election Security (ICCES) last Tuesday, CENI President, Teacher. Mahmoud Yakubu, raised THE alarm that THE commission was In possession of credible reports about THE impact of THE prevailing insecurity In a few States on THE to drive of THE elections, which he said was do worse by incendiary declarations Since policy actors. THE Inspector General of Police (PGI), Olukayode Egbetokun, However, soothed such fear, ensure that THE police had led threat analysis In each area THE election will be detained And would be deploy adequately.

In the meantime, CENI Director of Elector Education And Advertisement, Married Nkem, confirmed has THE Guardian that THE commission was ready And together For THE elections.

She recalled that THE electoral arbitrator had encounter with THE direction of THE policy evenings, Or he exhorted policy actors get ready, add that "We gave them all they need has prepare yourselves. »

Nkem said: "Also, as We resumed, We detained A meeting with OUR Resident Electoral Commissioners (CER) on Monday. I think THE commission East ready. For NOW, We are Or We to want has be because all OUR non-sensitive materials to have has been deployed has THE States And they to have has been in batches according to has registration areas And vote units.

"SO For THE sensitive materials, of course, You know that those those don't do it come early. They come A little close has THE elections. SO, THE commission has has been having commitments with all THE relevant stakeholders.

"Just Before We went For THE New Year to break, We had meetings with policy evenings Or THE commission exhorted them has be ready And gave them all they need has prepare. Also, as We resumed, We detained A meeting with o...