Bye-election: CLO calls for credible Anambra South Senatorial/Onitsha North I Constituency polls

By Alphonsus Nweze, Onitsha

The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Anambra State chapter has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair, credible and generally acceptable election in Anambra South Senatorial and Onitsha North 1 House of Assembly off season bye elections.
In a statement made available to journalists in Onitsha, Anambra State the human right group said this would rekindle people’s faith and trust in the electoral process in view of people’s lack of confidence on the electoral body due to the outcome of 2023 presidential election.
The vacancies were created following the demise last year of distinguished Senator Dr.Ifeanyi Ubah representing Anambra South under YPP, who latter decamped to APC.and Hon.Justice Azuka representing Onitsha North 1 Constituency on the platform of Labour Party, who was kidnapped on December 24, 2024 at Ugwunakpamkpa near his residence at Onitsha.
He was however later found dead near Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha some months after that abduction.
The INEC declared their seats vacant and fixed by- elections on August 16th 2025.
CLO has been in the vanguard campaigning and advocating for bye elections to fill the vacant seats to give Anambra South Senatorial Zone and Onitsha North 1 sense of belongings and fair representations in the legislative houses.
“The people who cast the votes do nothing,but the people who count the votes do everything. We call on INEC to ensure that in words and actions, they conduct transparent, impartial,neutral and unbiased elections that must reflect the wishes and aspirations of majority of the electorate in tandem with the Constitution and Electoral Act” said the right body.
They continued: “We are appealing to senatorial and House of Assembly candidates of various political parties to embark on aggressive issues based campaigns devoid of character assassination and casting of unsubstantiated aspersions on their opponents.
It is pertinent for the candidates and political parties to advise their supporters to toe the part of civility,decorum,mutual respect, devoid of bitterness and rancour”
Significantly, CLO said, the outcome would be litmus test for November 8th 2025 gubernatorial election in the State.
They said this bye- election is credible, free, fair and reflects the aspirations and wishes of the majority of the electorates,it would certainly motivates them to take more active part in coming elections as long as their votes counts.

The CLO appealed to the electorate to vote with their “conscience and convictions, patriotism, devoid of monetary inducements, clannish cleavages, religious affiliations or selfish interest”.