Late Labour Party Senatorial candidate, Oyibo Chukwu
By Our Reporter
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the election in Enugu East Senatorial District.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu announced this at a media briefing on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, the election in the senatorial district earlier slated for Saturday, February 25, 2023, has been moved to March 11, 2023.
Yakubu said the postponement in the district which covers six local government areas became necessary with the killing of the Labour Party (LP)’s senatorial candidate for the district, Oyibo Chukwu on Thursday.
He said the Labour Party reached out to the electoral body to convey its intention to provide a replacement and go ahead with the poll at the new date.
Chukwu and his personal assistant were assassinated on Wednesday when hoodlums attacked them and set their vehicle ablaze in the Eke-Otu Amechi-Awkunanaw area of Enugu.
Enugu State Police Commissioner Ahmed Ammani who visited the scenes of the incidents has ordered an investigation into it and condemned the attack.
He commiserated with the parties and family members of the deceased, vowing to ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.
The Commissioner said the police and other security agencies toward credible polls and called on the residents not to succumb to the antics of the hoodlums aimed at creating fear.
INEC chairman said the Labour Party said 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 held in the next two weeks, on 11th of March 2023.”
Yakubu said the electoral materials for the election in the senatorial district will remain in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) till the new date.
