No Law Stops Serving Lawmakers From Contesting By-elections – House Member

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Chairman of the House Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun has said that no law hinders serving lawmakers or political office holders from contesting by -elections in the country.

Balogun who is representing Ibeju-Lekki federal constituency of Lagos State noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot hide under the guise of paucity of funds to deny the right of serving parliamentarians to participate in any by-Elections in the country.

The Lagos state federal lawmaker also noted that there was no such plan in the ongoing electoral reforms to disenfranchise serving legislators both at the state and federal levels from exercising their right to vote and be voted for.

The lawmaker made this known during a media chat with journalists on Friday in Abuja.

Reacting to the recent statement credited to INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu when he pleaded with political parties to start fielding fresh candidates for by-elections into state and federal legislative positions so as to reduce. costs, Balogun said his statement was just a mere suggestion which has no stand in the Electoral Act yet.

His words: “That’s not part of our Electoral Act, and it’s not part of whatever we are considering for now to make such a law to restrict anybody from contesting.

“And personally, if I have to even advise, it’s even better if you use serving members who are experienced in the field, because if you talk about replacing a senator, you should be looking at a rep member to replace such a person.

“And it’s unfortunate that it came as a by- election. Naturally, after every season, every dispensation, most of the people that contest for a senatorial seat are usually former House members.

“So it’s unfortunate that this thing happened — people die or some are due to resignation. But if such opportunity comes, we should not restrict it to certain people. We should leave it open for everybody. This democracy, let the person with the highest number win.

“That’s what democracy is all about. It’s about the number. So we should not restrict it. And he is a technocrat, he might just feel let me just save money.”