By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed March 27, for the Aba North/South Federal Constituency by-election in Abia.

Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Okoye said that the commission met on Thursday and deliberated on a number of issues including the federal constituency by-election.

He said the official notification for the election would be published on March 1.

“Political Parties shall conduct their primaries between March 4 and Match 10 while the last day for submission of list of nominated candidates is at 6p.m. on March 16.

“Political Parties shall submit the names of their Polling Agents for the election to the Electoral Officers in the respective Local Government Areas on or before March 19 and campaigns by political parties shall stop on March 25,” he said.

Okoye said that access code for the nomination forms shall be available for collection from March 10 at the commission’s headquarters.

He advised political parties fielding candidates for the election to pay close attention to the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.

Okoye also advised them to conduct transparent and valid party primaries in line with the dictates of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As amended).

“We enjoin political parties to note that under Section 31(8) of the Electoral Act, a political party which presents to the Commission the name of a candidate who does not meet the qualifications stipulated in the Constitution and the Electoral Act shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction shall be liable to a maximum fine of N500, 000,” he said.

Okoye said that the detailed timetable and schedule of activities had been uploaded on INEC website and social media platforms.

The by-election was to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr Ossy Prestige, who was the lawmaker representing the constituency before his death. (NAN)

Update news