Court Orders, Deaths Foist 33 Re-run, By-elections on INEC

Court Orders, Deaths Foist 33 Re-run, By-elections on INEC

•Another lawmaker dies in Sokoto

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would be busy next year conducting re-run and by-elections arising from orders of court and death of some lawmakers.

A reliable source told THISDAY last night that at the last count, 33 repeat elections would hold, 28 of them ordered by the courts in 11 states.

The 28, he said, would hold on January 25, 2020.
The revelation comes as another lawmaker from Sokoto State, Hon. Isa Harisu, slumped and died in Sokoto. This brings to four lawmakers, including a senator, one federal representative and two members of House of Assembly, that have died this month.

The list included Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu representing Imo North Senatorial District, Hon. Jafaru Illiyasu of Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency (Niger State), Hon Ahmed Rufai of Pategi State Constituency in Kwara State and Hon Harisu of Kebbe State Constituency (Sokoto State).

While expressing regrets at the deaths, the source, however, said the court ordered re-runs were becoming a drain on national resources and strain on the electoral body, blaming politicians, who would not play by the rules as the bane of the electoral system.

“The court ordered repeat elections are a waste of public resources, having regards to the heavy financial and logistics costs of elections in this country,” he said, adding: “Something urgent must certainly be done about the bad behaviour of many of our politicians.”

Sokoto Lawmaker Slumps, Dies

Meanwhile, a member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Harisu, yesterday slumped and later died on his way to the hospital.

The Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Magaji, who confirmed the incident, said Harisu slumped when he arrived at the office complex to attend the day’s plenary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the incident was officially announced at the plenary by Magaji.

He said the deceased, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was rushed to Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital after he slumped.

“When he slumped, he was rushed to the hospital, but he died on the way,” Magaji said.
Family sources were quoted as saying that the late lawmaker, aged 55, left behind his mother, four wives, and 22 children.

The assembly has postponed its sitting till today in order to attend the burial rites of the deceased.

The tragic incident comes weeks after Ja’afaru Iliyasu, a member of the House of Representatives from Niger State, died in his sleep.

The deceased, who was based in Abuja, died after returning from a trip to Lagos State where he attended a retreat organised for members of the House Committee on Public Accounts.
Iliyasu, who represented Magama/Rijau federal constituency, was a first-term lawmaker.

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