The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Sept. 11 for the Isoko South I State Constituency by-election in Delta.
INEC disclosed this in a statement by Mr Festus Okoye, its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee in Abuja on Tuesday.
Okoye said that the decision was taken at a meeting of the commission on Tuesday where a number of issues were deliberated upon.
lNEC declared the seat for the state constituency vacant, following the death of Mr Kenneth Ogba, the lawmaker representing the constituency on June 27.
“Consequently, the commission has fixed Saturday Sept. 11 for the by-election to fill the vacant seat,” he said.
Okoye said that official notification for the conduct of the election would be published on Aug. 13, while political parties would conduct their primaries from Aug. 14 to Aug. 21.
“The access code for the online submission of nomination forms will be available for collection from Aug. 21 at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, while the last day for submission of list of nominated candidates is Aug. 26 at 6p.m.
“Political parties shall submit the names of their polling agents for the election to the INEC Electoral Officer for Isoko South Local Government Area on/or before Sept. 1 and campaigns by political parties shall end on Sept. 9,” Okoye said.
The national commissioner said that the timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election had been uploaded on the commission’s website and social media platforms.
Okoye advised political parties interested in fielding candidates for the election to conduct valid primaries in accordance with Section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).
He also urged them to upload the personal particulars of the candidates that won their primaries at the commission’s candidate nomination portal as the candidates of their parties.
“Political parties also must conduct their campaigns and rallies in accordance with the guidelines and protocols released by the health authorities,” he said. (NAN)
