Ex-lawmaker writes INEC over delayed Zaria bye-election

A former member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Suleiman Dabo, has petitioned the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) over the delay in conducting a bye-election in the Zaria Kewaye state constituency.

In a letter dated 14 February, acknowledged by the INEC head office, Mr Dabo said it’s been about a year since the office occupant resigned and took another job without INEC conducting the bye-election to fill the vacant position.

“By the 18th of March 2025, it would be exactly one year of a huge vacuum in my Local Government (Zaria). Since the exit of Hon. Ahmed Muhammed from the Assembly, no attempt was made by the INEC to inform members of this very important constituency on when to conduct a bye-election in order to fill the vacuum, except periodic rumours of tentative dates. The Independent Electoral Commission had left members of this constituency in Limbo,” Mr Dabo wrote.

He said the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kaduna was informed about the vacuum by the Clerk of the Kaduna State House of Assembly in a letter dated 26, March 2024.

Mr Dabo said it is becoming a habit of the INEC not to conduct bye-elections promptly, which led to speculation that the electoral commission was conniving with the ruling APC to prevent the conduct of bye-elections.

Mr Dabo said a similar incident occurred in 2021 when a lawmaker, Rilwan Gadagau, was killed by armed bandits, but the seat remained vacant until the 2023 general elections.

READ ALSO: Jigawa governor reaffirms commitment to Nigeria’s wheat sufficiency

“I kindly demand an explanation on this unhealthy democratic practice that is undermining the fundamental rights of the teeming voting populace in my local government and also denying them access to the dividends of democracy through their representatives in the Assembly”, the former lawmaker said.

INEC Reacts

However, INEC’s spokesperson in Kaduna, Rukaiya Imam, denied the former lawmaker’s allegations.

She said that INEC would announce the conduct of bye-elections for other state and federal constituencies in Kaduna, including the Zaria Kewaye constituency when it is ready.

“When the time comes, INEC will announce it to the public”, she stated.