Imo State will be of particular interest as the Independent National Electoral Commission said it will publish the list and personal particulars of candidates for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi State governorship polls on Friday (tomorrow).
This was contained in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Festus Okoye.
Recall that in Imo, at least two candidates purportedly emerged as candidates of the Labour Party in primaries conducted by ‘factions’ in the party.
However, Okoye urged Nigerians to take special interest in scrutinizing the lists which will be displayed at its State Headquarters and Local Government offices in the three states.
INEC specifically advised aspirants, who took part in the various political party Governorship Primary Elections and with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by any candidate is false, to challenge the nomination at the Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The statement reads, “Nigerians may recall that on Tuesday 25th October 2022, the Commission released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the three off-cycle Governorship elections in Bayelsa, lmo and Kogi States holding on Saturday 11th November 2023.
“Political parties conducted their primaries as required by law and uploaded the names and personal particulars of their candidates and running mates to the INEC candidate nomination portal by the deadline of 6.00pm on 5th May 2023.
“All the 18 political parties have nominated candidates for the Kogi Governorship election and 17 parties for Bayelsa and Imo States. All the political parties sponsoring candidates for the three elections have submitted the duly completed Forms EC9 containing personal particulars supported by sworn affidavits as well as EC9B containing the names of their candidates.
“As required by Section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission shall publish the personal particulars of the candidates in the State Headquarters and Local Government offices in the three States tomorrow Friday 12th May 2023.
“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the list. In particular, any aspirant who participated in his/her party’s primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by the candidate is false can challenge the nomination at the Federal High Court as provided in section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022”.
CHECKPOINTCHARLEY 