The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended tomorrow’s Enugu East senatorial election over the death of the Labour Party’s candidate, Oyibo Chukwu.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said on Friday at a media briefing in Abuja that the election will now hold on 11 March.
Chukwu was killed and set ablaze at Amechi Awkunanaw in Enugu South Local Government Area on Wednesday after gunmen opened fire on his convoy.
Yakubu said: “The party conveyed its intention to participate in the election for that constituency by replacing its deceased candidate. This request is in line with the provision of the law, section 34(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
“The Labour Party has provided satisfactory evidence of the death of its candidate. Consequently, the commission has suspended the election in the senatorial district as provided by law.
“We have already communicated this decision to our Enugu State office.
“Therefore, there will be no senatorial election in Enugu East senatorial district made up of six local government areas, 77 wards, and 1,630 polling units tomorrow, 25 February.
“The election will now be combined with the governorship and state assemblies’ elections holding in the next two weeks — on 11 March”.
