By-elections: INEC to commence accreditation for journalists Wednesday 

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday said it will, on January 17, 2024,  commence online accreditation for journalists and media organisations interested in covering the forthcoming rerun and by-elections.

INEC, in a notice issued by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, said the portal will be opened on January 17, 2024, and will be closed on January 25, 2024.

Oriaran-Anthony advised journalists and media organisations to https://imap.inecnigeria.org to complete the application form.

She further advised that “Late submission shall not be entertained and there will be no extension of time as the portal will automatically shut down on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 12:00 midnight.”

INEC will conduct reruns and by-elections across the country on February 3, 2024, to fill existing vacancies in the state and federal legislatures.

The by-elections will be held in nine states in 4,294 polling units. The breakdown showed that for the Senatorial districts, elections will be held in Ebonyi South, Ebonyi State, and Yobe East, Yobe State.

For the state constituencies, INEC will conduct elections in Chibok State Constituency, Borno State, Chikun State Constituency, Kaduna State, and Guma State Constituency, Benue State.

For federal constituencies, elections would be held in Akoko North East/Akoko North-West Federal Constituency, Ondo State, Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency, Taraba State, Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, Lagos State, and Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency, Kebbi State.

While the court-ordered rerun elections would be held in 4,596 polling units, the elections will be conducted in one Senatorial district of Plateau Central, and 12 federal constituencies.

The federal constituencies include  Surulere 1 (Lagos),  Gauri/Shanta/Ingaski and Arewa/Dandi (Kebbi), Akoko North East/North West (Ondo),  Jalingo/Yorro/Zing (Taraba), Ikono/Ini (Akwa Ibom) and Akamkpa/Biase (Cross River State).

Others are Nnewi North/Nnewi South and Orumba North/Orumba South (Anambra), Igbo Eze North/Udenu (Enugu), Birnin Kudu/Buji (Jigawa), Igabi and Kachia/Kagarko (Kaduna), Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa (Katsina), Jos North/Bases (Plateau) and Fine/Fune (Yobe).

Similarly, senatorial elections will be held in Yobe-East and Plateau Central following court orders.

At the state level, elections will be conducted to fill vacant positions in Adamawa,  Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano  Nasarawa  Niger, Oyo, Sokoto, Zamfara,   Benue and Borno states.