The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa state has accused the State independent Electoral Commission (ADSIECOM) to have failed and violated the constitutional provision of conducting bye-election whenever an elected officer is dead in recent times.
The party’s Legal Adviser, Barr Shagnah Pwamaddi Maboyefe in an interview with our correspondent said two Councillors from Lamurde and Guyuk Local Governments died and the commission has remained silent without saying anything.
“Adamawa State independent electoral commission has not only defaulted but break the constitution and the provision of Adamawa electoral laws and other enabling matters, it’s not too good for democracy.
” That’s why we as a political party and stakeholders are reminding them that they have failed in discharging their duties, they should not repeat such a violation,they should kindly and urgently rise to their work and conduct an election to the poor masses of Lamurde and Guyuk wards,” Shagnah said
According to him, they are demanding the state Electoral Commission to comply with the Provision of the law to conduct a bye-election for people that have been elected into political offices in event of resignation, recall,removal and dead to fill-in the vacant places.
He worried that the councilor in Guyuk ward of Guyuk local government died over a year and Hon Justina Justice, a councilor from Lamurde Local Government died on the 26th December 2020 and still up to now the election empire did not say anything on bye-election to fill in as a result of the circumstances that created the vacancy.
“It’s a matter of right and constitution as such we have written to state electoral body demanding them to conduct within the specific time provided by the law to conduct an election.” He added
Shagnah signed a letter written to ADSIECOM by the Adamawa chapter of APC specifically calling on the electoral body to conduct a bye election for the vacuum created by the death of Justina Justice.
In his response, the ADSIECOM Chairman, Alhaji Isah Shettima revealed that there are three councilors from Lamurde, Guyuk, and Shelleng local governments that passed on and the commission has already targeted 13th March 2021 for the bye-election.
He said any vacuum created and need the commission to conduct any bye-election must be duly communicated to by the Local Government officials for any election will be organized else the commission will not act on gain sayings.
He however said that the #end sars chaos has contributed to have delayed the conduct of the bye-election by the commission but now fully prepared to do so by March.
