The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has charged residents in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states to ensure that any candidates who didn’t meet up with requirements in the governorship primaries are not allowed to go scot-free, hence they should be challenged at the Federal High Court as provided for in the Electoral Act 2022.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement on Thursday, noted that the commission has complied with the provision of the law in terms of ensuring that party primaries were duly conducted and the elected candidates’ names are published, which will be done by today, 12th May.
According to Okoye, “We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinize 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 for in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.
“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 held 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 6.00 pm 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.”
