BYE-elections are being held in 11 Nigerian states including Lagos and Bayelsa to fill vacant seats in the State Assemblies, House of Representatives and Senate arm of the National Assembly.
According to information gathered from the Twitter handle of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), other states where bye-elections are being held include, Imo, Cross Rivers, Plateau, Kogi, Enugu, Bauchi, Borno, Katsina and Zamfara states.
In Lagos state, elections are being held in Kosofe II State House of Assembly and the Lagos East Senatorial District By-Election.
The Bye elections are also being held in Bayelsa West Senatorial District Bye-election, Bayelsa Central Senatorial District Bye-election, Plateau South Senatorial District Bye-election, Imo North Senatorial District Bye-election, Cross River North Senatorial District Bye-election, Dass State Constituency (Bauchi State), Isi-Uzo State House of Assembly Bye-election (Enugu State).
Others include Ibaji State House of Assembly Bye-election (Kogi State), Nganzai State House of Assembly Bye-election (Bornu State), Obudu State House of Assembly Bye-election (Cross River State), Bayo State House of Assembly Bye-election (Bornu State) and Bakori State House of Assembly Bye-election (Katsina State).
However, The ICIR observed that COVID-19 protocols are not being adhered to in some polling units across the states.
In Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Central Senatorial District, some voters were seen voting without the use of face masks.
The same practice was seen in Shomolu Local Government Area in Lagos State.
Apart from voters and INEC officials, security officers of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also failed to use facemasks in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94