By Emmanuel Mogbede
An All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain, Alhaja Khairat Animashaun -Ajiboye, has said that the constitution should be followed by INEC in the replacement of the lawmakers whose seats have been declared vacant in the National Assembly.
Animashaun -Ajiboye said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
She said that this was critical to giving all constituents equal political opportunity and legislative representation.
NAN reports that the APC chieftain was reacting to the by-elections scheduled by INEC for June 20 to fill the seats which had recently been declared vacant in the National Assembly.
NAN also reports that one of the affected seats is that of Ondo South Senatorial District, occasioned by the appointment of Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Animashaun-Ajiboye, an APC governorship aspirant in Lagos State who recently shelved her ambition and declared support for President Bola Tinubu and the party’s leadership, said the people of the affected constituencies reserved the right to elect new senators in such a situation.
“I absolutely believe it is critical that other members of the community worthy of leadership get the opportunity to run for the vacant senatorial seats and they reserve the right to elect new senators,” she said.
Animashaun-Ajiboye, who is based in the United States, explained that the elective positions were of high importance to the people of the affected constituencies who should not be denied representation in the legislature.
She argued that if it was constitutional, then the laws had to be followed and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must abide by the constitution.
“In Clayton County, Georgia, USA, though a local government election, we had a similar situation where the people prevailed that a by-election must hold when a sitting district commissioner suddenly chose to resign.
“He resigned right before a major county election for the District Commissioner’s seat among other electable positions.
“Stakeholders went back and forth about what it would cost the county, especially the very special election machines that would be utilised and then discarded after the election.
“The machines are very expensive, but the law remains sacrosanct. After conducting the by-elections, a couple of months down, the planned general elections were conducted,” she recalled.
Animashaun-Ajiboye maintained that the people should have their say, as long as it would not be used as a tool to manipulate critical popular decisions.
On the possibility of the National Assembly amending the Electoral Act with a view to accommodating some exceptions, especially with regards to the conduct of by-elections close to general elections.
“The national assembly can attempt a change with an exception.
“The conduct of a by-election could also be due to death, but my utmost feeling is that we do not put ideas into the minds of our people.
“The law is made by man for man. So we should make it count whether it is expensive or not,” she said.
Animashaun-Ajiboye, while stating that her mission had always been to make Lagos State work for everyone, added that unity, strategic cooperation and collective progress must take precedence over personal ambition if the country must grow and develop.
She reaffirmed her loyalty to Tinubu, his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the APC leadership, saying this was deeply rooted.
The APC chieftain had earlier said that she shelved her governorship ambition after extensive reflection, consultations and careful consideration of the prevailing political realities within the party and in the country.
Also speaking, Dr Emmanuel Ojo, Director-General of Tinubu Nigeria Fronts (TNF), stressed the need for adhering strictly to the constitution in replacing a lawmaker whose seat becomes due to death, resignation or appointment.
Ojo said this was critical to ensuring peace and harmony within political parties and in the country generally, adding that whatever was constitutional was lawful and should be maintained.
“Whatever that is constitutional is lawful and needs to be maintained in the interest of orderliness promotion of peace and harmony in the society,” Ojo, who is also an APC chieftain, said.
He added that though January 2027 had been fixed for the National Assembly elections as part of the general elections, by-elections should be conducted in Ondo South and other affected senatorial districts in line with the constitution.
He explained that political parties could not produce a replacement for such seats because such action was not provided for by the constitution and Electorial Act.
Ojo, however, added that the possibility of conducting such by-elections might have been provided for in INEC’s budget and would, therefore, not constitute an additional cost, except for the candidates and their political parties.
This, he said, was because the candidates would have to campaign to convince electorate of their capacities and capabilities to occupy such seats which would entail spending of money.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
EEM/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq
