BREAKING: Tears as top state INEC chairman collapses and dies after meeting in Abuja

Niyi Ijalaye, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State, died after slumping at his hotel room in Abuja on Monday evening, August 20.

It was reported that the incident happened shortly after Ijalaye attended a crucial meeting at the INEC headquarters.

Ogun INEC REC slumps and dies after Abuja meeting Photo Credit: @OjewandeStephen
Source: Twitter

Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, presided over the meeting. The commission's meeting centred on the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in Ondo and Edo states. Yakubu also discussed the upcoming election into seven vacancies at the national and state assemblies.

It was learnt that the late INEC REC was active during the meeting and was in good health before his sudden death on Monday evening.

INEC or his family have not officially announced his death, but a source within the commission confirmed the incident to TVC News.

INEC is responsible for conducting the presidential, governorship, national, and state assembly elections in Nigeria.

Recently, there have been calls for the national assembly to lawfully empower the commission to conduct local government elections in Nigeria, following the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments.

Barrister Oladotun Hassan, the president of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, in an interview with Legit,ng, called on the Senate and House of Representatives to amend the law to accommodate the conduct of elections at the local government, which should be carried out by INEC.

Hassan said:

"I don’t think creating separate local government electoral arms is necessary. It is better for INEC to be in charge of all elections in Nigeria, the federal, state, and local government, as well as the councillorship. And that election must be run simultaneously in order not to waste ballot papers and duplicate tenure."

Source: Legit.ng