Friday Omosola
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled Saturday, February 26, 2022, for the Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency bye-election, in Ondo State
This was made known in a statement by the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye on Friday in Abuja.
Okoye said the move will enable the commission to clear most of the bye-elections, focus on the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections and ongoing preparations for the 2023 General Election.
He said; “Following the declaration of vacancies by the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Honourable Speakers of some State Houses of Assembly, the Commission has scheduled bye-elections for six constituencies in 4 States as follows:
“Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency, Ondo State
; Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, Plateau State; Pankshin South State Constituency, Plateau State; Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River State; Akpabuyo State Constituency, Cross River State; Ngor-Okpala State Constituency, Imo State.
“The elections will be held on Saturday 26th February 2022 immediately after the FCT Area Council elections. This will enable the commission to clear most of the bye-elections, focus on the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections and ongoing preparations for the 2023 General Election.”
According to the statement, “Some of the vacancies arose as a result of the death of the previous occupants; substantial disruption of the electoral process and fulfillment of constitutional and legal requirements in the electoral process.
Okoye added that any political parties that present to the commission name of a candidate that does not meet the qualifications stipulated in the Constitution and the Electoral Act shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction shall be liable to a maximum fine of N500,000.00.
He further added that the commission was finalizing all arrangements for the conduct of the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory FCT.
How did the Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency lawmaker die?
Late Hon. Isaac Omolafe Adedayo, popularly called “Expensive” representing Akure South/Akure North federal constituency passed on at the Federal Medical Centre FMC, Owo, Ondo state in 2021.
A family source narrated that the lawmaker went to his farm at lrese, in Akure metropolis on a Sunday morning and on return, grumbled of severe headache and He was rushed to a private hospital after the situation got out of control by his immediate family members.
After attending to him, the management of the hospital afterward referred him to the Federal Medical Centre in Owo where he gave up the ghost.
Numbers of sympathizers including youths and politicians wept and wailed as they recounted his goodwill when he was laid to rest last year in Akure the Ondo state capital.
