The deadline for nominating candidates for the upcoming governorship election in Edo State was met by seventeen political parties.
INEC announced that on March 30, 2024, the details of the 17 candidates and their running mates will be made public in preparation for the governorship poll in Edo State scheduled for September 21, 2024.
Copies of Form EC9, academic credentials, and other relevant documents submitted by the candidates will be displayed at both the State Headquarters and the 18 Local Government offices across the state.
Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, made this announcement on Wednesday.
He mentioned, “Seventeen political parties have submitted their candidates’ nomination forms for the Edo State Governorship Election following the conclusion of party primaries. The deadline for submissions was 6pm on March 24, 2024, after which the dedicated portal automatically closed down.
“Per Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, the personal details of the governorship candidates and their running mates will be publicly available on Saturday, March 30, 2024, a week after the nomination deadline.
“The personal details will be showcased by displaying copies of Form EC9 alongside all academic credentials and other supporting documents at the State Headquarters and the 18 Local Government offices across Edo State.”
The Commission urged Nigerians to examine the published candidate particulars closely.
“We call upon Nigerians to scrutinize the documents thoroughly. If any candidate’s information is believed to be false by any aspirant who participated in their party primaries, they have the right to challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as stipulated in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022,” stated the National Commissioner.
Last week, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, expressed the commission’s displeasure over the chaotic primary elections in different political parties ahead of the Edo governorship election set for September 21, 2024.
Yakubu, during a consultation meeting with political parties in Abuja, highlighted the disruptive impact of internal party conflicts on INEC’s operations, as well as the financial resources wasted on defending litigations arising from controversial primaries.
The governorship primaries of the major political parties – All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party – were especially tumultuous.
The APC had to hold a second primary due to conflicting outcomes in the initial one.
Parallel primaries occurred within the PDP, as well as in the Labour Party.
Senator Monday Okpebholo emerged as the winner in the fresh primary of the Edo State APC for the Edo Central Senatorial District.
In addition, Olumide Akpata, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, secured the governorship primary victory for the Edo State LP.
Asue Ighodalo was selected as the PDP candidate for the upcoming Edo election.