The Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) has disqualified 14 underage candidates in the
upcoming Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections.
According to a statement released
on Friday by Festus Okoye, INEC commissioner for information and voter
education committee, six underaged were discovered in Bayelsa while Kogi had
eight.
It's been reported that some of the governorship and deputy governorship candidates are below the
35 years of age provided for by the 1999 constitution.
A total of 52 political parties
submitted the list of their governorship and deputy governorship candidates for
the Bayelsa election while 49 submitted candidates in Kogi.
According to the commissioner,
some parties had written the commission admitting their error and requesting to
submit new nominees but this was after the deadline for submission.
“As such the Commission could not
accept any fresh nominations. In like manner, since the parties did not submit
valid nominations before the deadline, they cannot substitute the candidates on
the grounds of death or voluntary withdrawal, in accordance with the Electoral
Act 2010 (as amended), which assumes the prior existence of valid nominations,”
Okoye explained.
“At the close of the time
stipulated by sections 31, 33 and 35 of Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) for
the submission of the names of nominated candidates, 49 nominations were
received for Kogi State.
“Out of these, 41 nominations
were valid, while 8 were invalid. Subsequently, 18 political parties withdrew
from contesting the elections. Therefore, 23 political parties will contest the
Governorship election in Kogi State.
“For Bayelsa State, a total of 52
nominations were received. Out of these, 46 were valid, while 6 were invalid.
One political party has since withdrawn from the contest, leaving a total of 45
political parties to contest the governorship election in Bayelsa State.”
He said INEC will publish the
names and addresses of qualified candidates on Monday.
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