By Gift Olivia Samuel, The Sight News
ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has revealed that it suffered extensive damage to and vandalization of its local government offices and facilities, including the areas where the suspended bye-elections are scheduled to hold.
Disclosing this after a meeting by the Commission on Thursday, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said INEC will consult all the critical stakeholders in the electoral process before deciding on a definite date for the conduct of the bye-elections.
Recall that the Commission met on 22nd October 2020 with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to deliberate on the 15 outstanding bye-elections in 11 States of the Federation earlier scheduled for 31st October 2020, and due to the security situation in the country at the time, the Commission decided to suspend the bye-elections and meet in two weeks to review its decision.
Okoye, said the Commission will consult with political parties and civil society organisations on Tuesday 10th November 2020 and then with the media and Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on Wednesday 11th November 2020.
“The Commission will thereafter meet again with the Resident Electoral Commissioners on Thursday, 12th November 2020 to decide on a date for the conduct of the bye-elections”, Okoye noted.
INEC appealed to all stakeholders to continue to cooperate with the Commission in its efforts to conduct credible elections under a safe and conducive environment.
