INEC Suspends Enugu Senatorial Election

The Enugu East Senatorial District election has been postponed, as announced by Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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The Chairman of INEC disclosed this at a media briefing held on Friday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

He stated that the horrific murder of Oyibo Chukwu, the Labour Party (LP)’s senatorial candidate for the district, necessitated the decision to suspend the election.

According to Yakubu, the Labour Party contacted the electoral body to inform it of its intention to provide a replacement and continue the election at a new date.

In the Eke-Otu Amechi-Awkunanaw area of Enugu, gunmen killed Chukwu and burned the senatorial candidate and five supporters inside his car.

The chairman of INEC stated in a Friday speech that Chukwu would be replaced by the Labour Party.

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He said, “The party also conveyed its intention to participate in the election for that constituency by replacing its deceased candidate. This request is in line with the provision of the law – Section 34, Sub-Section 1 of the Electoral Act 2022.”

“The Labour Party has provided satisfactory evidence of the death of its candidate. Consequently, the commission has suspended the election in the Senatorial district as provided by law.

“We have already communicated this decision to our Enugu State office.

“Therefore, there will be no senatorial election in Enugu East Senatorial District made up of six local government areas, 77 wards and 1,630 polling units tomorrow, February 25, 2023.

“The election will now be combined with the governorship and state assemblies elections holding in the next two weeks, on 11th of March 2023.”