Photo caption: INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu
Seventy-four candidates are to participate in nine by-elections to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission on February 3.
The by-elections became necessary after the death of some members of the national and state Houses of Assembly.
By-elections would be held in two senatorial districts in Ebonyi South and Yobe East.
The elections would also be held in four federal constituencies – Shanga/Ngaski/Yauri in Kebbi; Surulere I in Lagos State; Akoko North East/Akoko North West in Ondo State, and Jalingo/Yorro/Zing in Taraba.
Candidates would also contest elections into vacant state assembly seats in Guma I in Benue, Chibok in Borno, and Chikun in Kaduna State.
Eight of the 74 candidates contesting for the nine vacant positions are female.
Three of the 10 candidates contesting for the only vacant seat in Chikun, Kaduna State, are female.
Overall, seven candidates are jostling for positions in Borno, nine in Kebbi, and 11 in Lagos State, while there are eight candidates in each of the Ondo and Ebonyi states.
Benue and Yobe have five candidates each, while Taraba has 11 candidates. No female candidate is featured in the three states.
INEC published the personal particulars and final list of the candidates in affected state offices on Wednesday.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Sam Olumekun, said the list had also been published in the affected constituencies in compliance with the Electoral Act (2022).
“INEC appeals to Nigerians to scrutinise the personal particulars of the candidates.
“Any aspirant who participated in his or her party primary election with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by any candidate is false can challenge the nomination.
“Such aspirant is free to file a suit at a Federal High Court as provided for in the Electoral Act,’’ he said.
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