The Independent National Electoral Commission says it cannot conduct a by-election to fill the vacant seat in the Kwara State House of Assembly because the parliament has not followed the legal procedure.

Jacob Ayanda, the spokesman of INEC in Kwara State, told the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview on Friday that the commission was yet to be officially notified of the death of the member representing Kaiama/Wajibe/Kemaji, Mallam Idris Haliru.

Haliru died on June 7 after a protracted illness, while the commission is by law expected to organise a by-election within three months. Ayanda said: "There is a legal procedure for it.

"The House of Assembly, through the Clerk, is expected to write a letter informing the INEC of a vacancy in the House as a result of the death.

"But up till now, the INEC is yet to be written and since we don't sit in the House with them, it is assumed we are not aware of such vacancy." When NAN contacted the state assembly for its reaction, its Director of Information, Sunday Adeleke, declined comment.

Adeleke said he could not talk on the issue for now.