837 candidates battle for 28 gov’ship seats
10,231 for state assembly The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said 837 gov’ship and 10,231 state assembly candidates will contest in 2023. Daily Trust reports that governorship elections will be held in 28 states. Governorship elections in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Kogi, Imo, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun states have been pushed out of the general […]
Chairman of INEC’s information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye
- 10,231 for state assembly
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said 837 gov’ship and 10,231 state assembly candidates will contest in 2023.
Daily Trust reports that governorship elections will be held in 28 states. Governorship elections in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Kogi, Imo, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun states have been pushed out of the general election circles.
The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Festus Okoye, said this on Wednesday in a statement.
According to him, pursuant to Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and item 8 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general elections, the commission on Tuesday published the final list of candidates for state elections (governorship and state assembly constituencies).
“The publication of the full names of candidates standing nominated for state elections follows the political parties’ conduct of primaries and completion of the nomination exercise.
“It will be recalled that at the end of the process, political parties that conducted valid primaries uploaded the list and personal particulars of all nominated candidates to the commission’s candidate’s nomination portal and the subsequent display in their constituencies nationwide as provided by Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act,” Okoye said.
He said, subsequently, validly nominated candidates had the opportunity to voluntarily withdraw their candidature by notice in writing and personally delivering such notice to the political party that nominated them for the election.
“Thereafter, political parties substituted such candidates under Section 31 of the Electoral Act for which the last day was 12th August 2022 for state elections as clearly provided in item 6 of the commission’s timetable and schedule of activities.
“Thereafter, no withdrawal or substitution of candidates is allowed except in the event of death as provided in Section 34(1) of the Electoral Act or pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction,” he stated.