By Patrick Obia
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled Cross River Northern Senatorial District, Obudu State constituency and seven other States bye-election to Saturday, October 31, 2020.
In a press release issued by the Commission in Abuja on Tuesday, 11 August, 2020 states that, it is as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which made the Commission to earlier suspend the conduct of all bye-elections until it is satisfied it can be conducted in a guaranteed, safe, conducive and credible environment.
The electoral umpire in what it termed “harmonized timetable” added it will give notice of election on the 17 of August while political parties will conduct their primaries to nominate candidates between August 24 and 8 September, 2020.
States to be conducted Bye-election in are Cross River, Bayelsa, Borno, Imo, Lagos, Plateau, Zamfara and Kogi State.
Cross River Northern Senatorial District and Obudu State constituency have remained vacant since the demise of Sen. Rose Oko and Hon. Godwin Akwaji in March and June, 2020 respectively after battling with illnesses.