Political parties have taken firm positions on the future of bye-elections In a heated debate that highlights the challenges of Nigeria’s evolving democracy.
The controversy follows a lamentation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu about the financial and logistical strain of these elections.
On Wednesday, during a consultative meeting with party leaders in Abuja, Yakubu painted a grim picture of the mounting costs and unpredictability of by-elections, urging for legislative reforms. His remarks reignited the long-standing debate about how best to fill legislative vacancies arising from resignation or death.
“Over the last one and a half years, 23 constituencies have experienced vacancies due to death or resignation of members,” Yakubu revealed. “These by-elections are unbudgeted and difficult to plan for. Worse, some of them trigger a domino effect, where one bye-election leads to several more. This is not sustainable.”
Yakubu advocated adopting global best practices, where vacancies are filled without the need for frequent elections. However, his suggestion to explore alternatives sparked mixed reactions from Nigeria’s political class.
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The Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) rejected suggestions by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, that political parties should internally select replacements for vacant seats.
LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, warned against sidelining voters in the process. “Democracy is about representation. The people must have a say in who stands for them,” he argued. “Allowing parties to fill vacancies could lead to candidates being chosen based on financial clout rather than merit.”
Ifoh also dismissed concerns about the cost of bye-elections, noting that INEC already possesses most of the infrastructure needed, such as card readers and the iRev platform.
Similarly, NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, questioned the logic of bypassing by-elections. “What’s the difference between a regular election and a by-election? Why should parties decide who fills these positions?”
Breaking ranks with other opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) endorsed Falana’s proposition. Ibrahim Abdullahi, the party’s Deputy Publicity Secretary, argued that party-led replacements could reduce INEC’s financial burden. “It’s time we considered empowering parties to handle this. It’s cost-effective and practical,” Abdullahi said.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) opted for a more cautious approach. Its National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, called for broader consultations. “Democracy thrives on the will of the majority. This issue should be subjected to wider deliberation to ensure a balanced decision,” he said.
Ibrahim also proposed structural reforms to reduce the frequency of reruns, including stricter conditions for election outcomes. “Perhaps we can adopt measures that minimize the need for by-elections altogether,” he suggested.
Yakubu reiterated INEC’s commitment to electoral integrity but warned that the current system is unsustainable. “We have advocated for reforms over the past nine years, and more Nigerians are joining this call. We need cost-effective solutions that uphold the spirit of democracy,” he said.
The debate reveams a larger tension within Nigeria’s democracy: balancing efficiency with public participation. While parties like the LP and NNPP insist on preserving voters’ rights, others, like the PDP, see practical benefits in streamlining the process.