By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bauchi State has fixed November 14, 2018 for the conduct of the Toro federal constituency House of Representatives by-election.
The Toro federal constituency seat became vacant following the election of Hon. Lawal Gumau as the senator representing Bauchi Southern Senatorial district.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Ibrahim Abdullahi, who disclosed this on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting at the INEC office in Bauchi, said that the commission received a formal communication from the National Assembly, declaring a vacancy in the Toro federal constituency of the House of Representatives by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.
He said that by the action of the House of Representaives, based on section 76 subsection 2 and section 25 subsection 2 of the Electoral Act, INEC is mandated to conduct an election within 30 days after receiving the letter from the National Assembly.
“The election for the Toro federal constituency of the House of Representatives will involve eleven wards of Jama’a/Zaranda, Lame, Mara/Dalama, Rauta/Geji, Ribina, Tama, Tilden Fulani, Toro/Tulai, Wonu and Zalau/Rishi.
“In order to avoid any manupilation, INEC has made all the necessary arrangements to ensure the success of this election such as the use of card reader device, electronic transmission and collection, pasting of voters names in the presence of party agents and stakeholders at all the polling units,” he said.
Abdullahi then urged political parties and stakeholders to ensure that the election was void of any form of violence, stressing that they should observe the principles of internal democracy.
