INEC Ready to conduct Ekiti bye-election

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, Prof. Abduganiy Raji, on Thursday, said the commission was now ready for the pending bye-election to fill the vacant seat in the State House of Assembly.

The REC said the state office of Independent National Electoral Commission was, however, expecting directives from the National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on modalities for the conduct of the bye-election.

NAN reports that the position of the lawmaker representing Ekiti Southwest constituency  II, comprising  Igbara-Odo and Ogotun towns became vacant following the death of Mr  Michael Adedeji through alleged murder.

Adedeji, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party was shot in the head on October 26, 2018. He died a few days later at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti.

The REC told newsmen in Ado Ekiti that the commission was fully prepared for the polls.

Raji, who spoke through the Commission’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Taiwo Gbadegesin, said that he had written to the INEC ’s national chairman on the vacancy and was only awaiting directive.

“We are set for the election and we hope that  the bye-election will be conducted by January. We have written to Abuja, I mean, to  INEC National Chairman and we are expecting him to set the timetable for us to conduct the election

“You know it is important for the constituency to have a representative to speak for them and the commission is not unaware of this. We are prepared for the polls, but  we can’t unilaterally take a decision, it has to be  given  from Abuja

“I want to assure our people that there is no reason to be apprehensive about this; the bye-election will be held in due course, that we assure the constituents from that area, he said.