The election in Enugu East Senatorial District has been postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu announced this at a press conference on Friday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. (FCT)
According to him, the senatorial district election, which was previously scheduled for Saturday, February 25, 2023, has been rescheduled for March 11, 2023.
Yakubu stated that the postponement in the district, which encompasses six local government areas, was necessitated by the assassination of the Labour Party (LP) senatorial candidate for the district, Oyibo Chukwu.
He stated that the Labour Party contacted the electoral body to express its intention to provide a replacement and hold the election on the new date.
Chukwu and his personal assistant were assassinated on Wednesday when hoodlums attacked and set fire to their vehicle in Enugu’s Eke-Otu Amechi-Awkunanaw neighborhood.
The INEC chairman stated on Friday that the Labour Party has stated that it will replace Chukwu.
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.”
Electoral materials
Yakubu stated that the electoral materials for the senatorial district election will remain in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) until the new date.
