Political Parties Clash Over INEC’s Role in Bye-Elections
The call for reforming the process of filling vacant legislative seats has sparked intense debate among Nigeria’s political parties. On Wednesday, the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) stood firm in their support of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continuing to conduct bye-elections, despite concerns raised by INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu.
Yakubu had expressed the strain that frequent bye-elections place on the commission’s resources, calling for legislative reforms to introduce more cost-effective ways to address vacancies. His comments followed the occurrence of 23 vacancies in legislative seats since the inauguration of the national and state assemblies in June 2023—most caused by resignations or deaths of serving officials. He pointed out that some bye-elections even trigger more elections, further burdening INEC’s finances and logistics.
However, LP and NNPP rejected the suggestion from Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, who proposed that political parties should be allowed to internally fill vacancies without INEC’s involvement. Falana argued that since votes belong to political parties, it only makes sense that parties should decide on replacements for their deceased or resigned candidates.
During a consultative meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, Yakubu reiterated his concerns, emphasizing the unpredictability and high cost of bye-elections. He urged for a shift towards systems used in other countries, where vacancies are filled more efficiently without frequent elections. INEC has long advocated for such reforms, and Yakubu expressed hope that continued collaboration with political leaders would improve Nigeria’s electoral processes.
Despite Yakubu’s concerns, the LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, defended the global practice of conducting bye-elections. He argued that such elections ensure the elected representatives genuinely reflect the will of the people. Ifoh further explained that INEC already possesses the necessary infrastructure to conduct elections without excessive costs, as much of the equipment, such as card readers, is already in place.
Similarly, the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, opposed Falana’s suggestion, questioning why political parties should decide on replacements instead of letting the electorate have a say through bye-elections. “What distinguishes a bye-election from a regular election?” he asked.
On the other hand, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sided with Falana, supporting the idea of letting political parties choose replacements. The PDP argued that this could save INEC significant expenses, offering a more efficient solution.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) called for broader consultations on the matter. Bala Ibrahim, the APC’s National Publicity Director, stressed that decisions should align with the will of the majority. He suggested that political parties and INEC should work together to ensure clearer outcomes in initial elections, possibly preventing costly reruns and other complications in the future.
As the debate continues, it’s clear that the future of Nigeria’s electoral process is uncertain, with varying views on the best way to balance efficiency, democracy, and financial responsibility.
