Chukwu’s Murder: INEC To Postpone Enugu East Senatorial District Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, hinted that it might postpone the Enugu East senatorial election by two weeks.

This is coming after gunmen murdered the Labour Party (LP) senatorial candidate, Oyibo Chukwu.

The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, while citing Section 34 of the Electoral Act, said that such postponement and relevant section of the Electoral Act can only be activated if the political party involved officially notifies the commission.

Gunmen on Wednesday evening murdered Oyibo while returning from a campaign trip.

The LP senatorial candidate was burnt inside his vehicle, along with some persons.

Yakubu while reacting to the development said, “there are procedures to handling the such issue. In such a situation, the commission will have to countermind the senatorial district for two weeks. The section can 9nly be activated if the party involved officially notifies the commission.

“Section 34(b) stipulates that in the case of election into a legislative House, the election shall start afresh and the political party whose candidate died may if it intends to continue to participate in the election, conduct a fresh primary within 14 days of the death of its candidate and submit the name of a new candidate to the Commission to replace the dead candidate:

“Provided that in the case of presidential or gubernatorial or Federal Capital Territory Area Council election, the running mate shall continue with the election and nominate a new running mate.”