Major political parties in Nigeria have weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding the conduct of bye-elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
On Wednesday, they insisted that INEC should continue to oversee bye-elections to fill legislative vacancies resulting from resignations or deaths.
The Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) rejected the suggestion made by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, that INEC should cease conducting bye-elections. Instead, they argued that political parties should internally decide who replaces an elected official in the event of death or resignation.
Falana, in a recent statement, proposed that since votes belong to political parties, the replacement of a deceased or resigned candidate should not necessarily require a bye-election.
This proposition, however, was met with resistance from the LP and NNPP, who emphasised that the electoral process should remain transparent and in line with democratic practices.
While the All Progressives Congress (APC) called for wider consultations on the matter, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supported Falana’s view, advocating for political parties to handle vacancies internally.
During a consultative meeting with political party leaders in Abuja on Wednesday, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, expressed concern about the financial burden posed by the increasing number of bye-elections in the country.
Yakubu highlighted that 23 legislative vacancies had occurred since the inauguration of the current national and state assemblies in June 2023. He noted that some bye-elections have even led to additional elections, further straining the commission’s resources.
Yakubu called for legislative reforms to adopt more cost-effective methods of filling such vacancies, noting that other countries have implemented more efficient systems.
He also stressed that the commission had been advocating for such reforms for the past nine years and would continue to push for improvements in the electoral process.
Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, disagreed with Falana’s suggestion, arguing that bye-elections are essential to ensuring that representatives align with the electorate’s interests.
He explained that allowing political parties to fill vacancies without an election could lead to a situation where representatives are chosen based on the highest bidder, rather than public support.
Similarly, the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, expressed concerns over the idea, stating that bypassing bye-elections could undermine the democratic process.
On the other hand, PDP Deputy Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi supported Falana’s recommendation, suggesting that allowing parties to fill vacant positions could save INEC significant expenses.
Meanwhile, APC National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, called for broader consultation on the issue, proposing that a decision should be made based on the majority’s wishes.
He also suggested exploring alternatives to ensure elections are decided on the first round, thus reducing the need for reruns and saving costs.
As the debate continues, it remains clear that political parties are divided on the best way forward, with the cost and logistical challenges of bye-elections remaining a central concern.
