The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  on Thursday issued 420 certificates of return to national assembly legislators consisting 100 senators- elect and 322 members of House of Representatives-elect

Results from the February 23 and March 9 polls show that the APC has 63 seats in the senate while PDP has 37 while the Young Progressives Party (YFP) has one in the 109-member legislature.

Nine seats have been declared inconclusive and will be contested for on the 23rd March supplementary poll.

In the House of Representatives, APC has 211 members-elect to while PDP 111 in the 360 member assembly.

Other political parties picked 16 seats with the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) winning 6 seats, African Democratic Congress (ADC), 3; Action Alliance (AA), 2; People’s Redemption Party (PRP), 2; African Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Social Democratic Party (SDP), one apiece.

Twenty-two seats are still vacant because election was inconclusive in some areas and a supplementary election has been slated for March 23 except for Rivers state that INEC is yet to take action.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu urged the lawmakers of the 9th national assembly to commence work on the electoral reform on time to enhance the efficiency of the work of the commission ahead of the 2023 elections.

Yakubu said this would facilitate the commission’s roadmap to deliver on its mandate to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Yakubu said that late conclusion of the review of the electoral law would affect the commission’s implementation of the framework.

As a matter of urgency, he said the commission would begin work on post 2019 elections review and road map to 2023.

“There is a lot of work but very little time available. As a process governed by law, the success of election in Nigeria depends to a large extent on the electoral legal framework and most importantly, in ensuring adherence to the law.

“I want to assure you that we will continue to work with the National Assembly to review and strengthen our Electoral Law.

“But I want to appeal to the Senators-elect to please start work early and conclude work on the electoral framework in good time well ahead of the 2023 general elections.

“The tendency to delay electoral reform, particularly the review of the electoral framework, until it is too close to the elections, leaves the commission with little time to develop processes including regulations and guidelines, make required consultation with stakeholders, embark on effective voter education including sensitisation, train staff and organise deployment for the elections.

“I am glad that among the senators-elect are senators that we have worked very closely with and some of them have taken initiative or even sponsoring private member bills to advance the cause of electoral reform,” he said.

Yakubu, who congratulated the lawmaker-elect said INEC was looking forward to working closely with the senators-elect in deepening the country’s electoral process.

Among those who received the certificate of return were snators Ike Ekweremadu, Enugu West (PDP); Mohammed Sabo, Jigawa South West (APC); Philip Aduda, FCT(PDP) and Sen. Dino Malaiye Kogi West (PDP).

Others were Baba Kaita, Kastina North (APC); Omo-Agege Ovie Delta Central (APC); Ibrahim Gandam, Yobe North (APC); Abdul’Aziz Yari Zamfara North (APC); Kaura Yahaya, Zamfara West (APC) and Ifeanyi Uba, Anambra South (YPP).

However, the senator-elect for Imo West senatorial district and incumbent governor of Imo State, Mr. Rochas Okorocha, was absent at the event following the removal of his name from the list by INEC.

Source: News Gazette