The Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the
forthcoming governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The governorship and house of
assembly polls are scheduled for March 2.
The lists published on Thursday
on INEC’s website, www.inecnigeria.org was signed by the Secretary to the
Commission, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The lists showed that 32
political parties were contesting for governorship election in Abia, Adamawa 29
parties, Akwa Ibom 45, Bauchi 31, Benue 33, Borno 34, Lagos 45, ogun 4, Rivers
64, Kano 55, Sokoto 51 and Zamfara 41.
The Commission recognised Sen.
Buruji Kashamu as the governorship candidate and Reuben Abati as his running
mate for the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun.
The commission did not include
the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the candidates for governorship election
in Zamfara and Rivers.
The commission did not also clear
the APC for House of Assembly elections in Rivers and Zamafara.
NAN reports that in an earlier
statement issued by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee, released late on Wednesday in Abuja,
there were 1,066 candidates for the Governorship elections.
He also disclosed that there were
also 14,583 candidates for the State Assembly elections and 806 for the FCT
Area Council elections comprised of 105 chairmanship candidates and 701
Councillorship candidates.
Okoye said that the commission’s
decision that the APC was not eligible to field candidates for the forthcoming
national assembly, governorship and state assembly elections in Zamfara,
stands.
Okoye said that the commission
noted there were two court judgements on the matter – one from a State High
Court in Gusau and the other from a Federal High Court in Abuja.
“The former judgement clearly
says that the APC conducted primaries in Zamfara, contrary to the position of
the commission.
“On the other hand, the Federal
High Court in Abuja ruled that the party did not conduct valid primaries and
therefore, not eligible to field candidates for the elections.
“The Commission will like to
re-affirm its commitment to obeying all court judgements, even when it
disagrees with them.
“However, these are clearly two
contradictory judgements delivered by two courts of coordinate jurisdiction on
the same day.
“Consequently, the Commission has
decided to maintain its original position that the party in question did not
conduct primaries.
“And, therefore, in line with
Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the APC is not eligible to
field candidates for the national assembly, governorship and state assembly
elections in Zamfara,” Okoye said.
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