As the stage is set for tomorrow’s by-elections into the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats across 26 states.
Already, sensitive materials have been distributed to the affected polling districts and constituencies by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the commission said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not participate in the election in Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, based on the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The court had nullified the victory of PDP House of Assembly members in the state, following the party’s failure to conduct its Congresses according to laid down rules.
However, barely 24 hours to the exercise, INEC has confirmedn that the PDP will not participate in the exercise in Plateau North Senatorial District and Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency.
There were also indications that security agencies have placed Plateau State under watch for the poll while all the parties have been advised to respect the judgment of the Appeal Court on the previous polls in the district and federal constituency.
Following the fate that befell the PDP, the senatorial by-election may be a stiff contest between Chris Giwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Gyang Zi of the Labour Party (LP).
Sources said PDP members may vote for the LP in protest against the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court had sacked a former Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, who was declared winner of February 25, 2023 poll by INEC.
Also, the Court of Appeal invalidated INEC’s declaration of Musa Avia-Agah as winner of the Jos North/ Bassa Federal Constituency.
Although 11 parties have been cleared by the electoral commission for the poll, the battle may be between the APC and the LP.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Having considered legal advice, INEC has dropped PDP from the ballot in deference to the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which is the final arbiter on disputes from National Assembly poll.
“The appellate court said Mwadkwon was not validly nominated by the PDP for the election because 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) did not participate in the congress that elected him as candidate of the party for the election.
“INEC cannot afford to be lawless. Apart from court pronouncement, INEC is not part of any political compromise. Even when INEC met with the leadership of PDP on January 8, 2024, it made it clear that the party will be excluded from the poll. We are standing by this decision.
“Even this week, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja struck out an application for an order of Mandamus by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to compel INEC to allow it and its candidates to participate in the 3rd February 2024. The judge said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain election matters, and the applicants did not follow the due process of the law to initiate the matter.”
It was gathered that security agencies have advised all the parties in the state to respect the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
Another source said: “As for Saturday by-elections, security agencies have keen interest on the development in Plateau State. We will ensure that all the parties comply with the judgment of the court.
“We have also advised the stakeholders in the state, especially political parties, to comply with the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court. Any unlawful action will amount to a breach of the security.”
Apart from Plateau and Ebonyi, states where the rerun will hold are Yobe, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and Cross River.
Others are Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
