Lawan Out, Akpabio, Umahi in, as INEC Releases Final List for National Elections

•APC not represented in Yobe north, Abia central 

•Orbih’s faction in Edo PDP jubilates as INEC displays final list

Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, released the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates of all the political parties contesting next year’s general election.

Unfortunately, for the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, whose nomination for Yobe North was being challenged by another member of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bashir Sheriff Machina, he did not make the list.

Curiously, the hitherto controversial nominations of the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, have been accepted by the electoral commission, although citing court orders.

Thus, while Lawan’s legal battle with Machina, who is challenging him on the grounds that he did not contest the primary election for the senate, might have cost him the ticket, as he was fighting to win the presidential nomination of his party at the time, Akpabio was lucky following a court order a about a week ago, which instructed INEC to include his name, same as Umahi.

By implication, therefore, while the ruling APC is not represented in Yobe north for legal reasons, same scenario has also affected the party’s representation in Abia Central, where Hon. Sam Onuigbo and Hon Emeka Atuma, were challenging each other in court for the ticket.

In a statement,  the INEC national commissioner in charge of publicity and chairman voter education, Festus Okoye, said the commission also approved the final list of candidates for national elections (Presidential, Senatorial and Federal Constituencies) pursuant to section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and item 8 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election.

He said the  publication of the full names and addresses of all nominated candidates followed the political parties’ conduct of primaries and completion of the nomination exercise.

According to Okoye, at end of the process, the personal particulars of all nominated candidates were displayed in their constituencies nationwide as provided by section 29(3) of the Electoral Act.

Subsequently, he said validly nominated candidates had the opportunity to voluntarily withdraw their candidature by notice in writing and personally deliver 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 15th July 2022 for national elections and 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.

“The list published today contains the names of candidates validly nominated for national elections at the close of party primaries and the period earmarked for withdrawal and substitution of candidates.

“The final list of candidates for state elections (Governorship and State Constituencies) will be published on 4th October 2022 as already indicated on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election.

“We note the fact that not all the political parties conducted primaries in all the constituencies, submitted the particulars of candidates that emerged from valid primaries or substituted their candidates after fresh primaries within 14 days as provided in section 33 of the Electoral Act.

“This has led to numerous litigations, some of which are ongoing. Where the Commission was served with Court orders by aggrieved aspirants or candidates before the publication of this list, these have been indicated under the remark column.

“In summary, all the 18 political parties have fielded candidates and their running mates for the presidential election.

For legislative elections, 1,101 candidates are vying for 109 senatorial seats and 3,122 candidates for Federal Constituencies i.e. House of Representatives seats, making a total of  4,223 candidates contesting for 469 legislative positions.

“In terms of gender distribution, 3,875 candidates are male, made up of 35 for presidential and vice-presidential, 1,008 for Senate and 2,832 for House of Representatives.  Similarly, 381 females comprising 1 for Presidential, 92 for Senate, and 288 for House of Representatives are contesting. There are also 11 Persons with Disability (PWDs) in the race.

“The list for specific constituencies is published in each state, where they are located while the comprehensive nationwide list has been uploaded to the commission’s website.

“We appeal to all political parties to channel any observations on the list of candidates to the Commission and such must be signed by the National Chairman and Secretary of the political party and supported with an affidavit as provided in section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2022,” the INEC commissioner stated.

Thus, the presidential candidates of all the parties participating in the next year presidential elections are: All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate,  Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima.

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed.

Osita Nnadi, presidential candidate of Action Peoples Party (APP) and his running mate,  Isa Hamisu.

Abiola Kolawole, presidential candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and his running mate, Ribi Marshal, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party and his running mate, Bishop Isaac Idahosa.

Yabagi Sani, presidential candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP) and his running mate, Udo Okey -Okoro, Ado-Ibrahim Abdulmalik, presidential candidate, Young Progressives Party (YPP) and his running mate, Enyinna Kasarachi.

Omoyele Sowere, presidential candidate African Action Congress (AAC ) and his running mate, Garba Magashi, Mamman Dantalle, presidential candidate of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and his running mate Ojei Princess, Chukwudi Umeadi presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and his running mate Koli Mohammed.

Oluwafemi Adenuga, presidential candidate of Boot Party (BP) and the running mate Turaku Mustapha, Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu, presidential candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the running mate, Ramalan Abubakar, Dumebi Kachikwu presidential candidate, African Democratic Congress (ADC) and his running mate, Ahmed Mani.

Hamsa Almustafa, presidential candidate, Action Alliance (AA) and his running mate Chukwuka Johnson, among others.

Zamfara: Lukman Wants INEC to Delist PDP’s Guber Candidate

National Vice Chairman, North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has called on INEC to immediately delete the PDP candidate for the March 11, 2023 Zamfara State governorship election.

Justice Aminu  Aliyu of Federal High Court, Gusau, had Friday ruled that the PDP governorship primary election in Zamfara State conducted on 25th May, 2022 was conducted in flagrant violation of Section 50(2) (b) & (3) of the Constitution of the PDP 2017 (as amended).

The APC chieftain, in a statement, yesterday, said with the judgement, PDP had no candidate for the March 11, 2023 governorship election in the State.

“INEC should therefore immediately delete the PDP and its claimed candidate for Zamfara State March 11, 2023 Governorship Election from the list of candidates,” adding that the order of the Federal High was that the PDP should conduct a valid primary election under the supervision of INEC for enlistment as PDP’s candidate for 2023 General Election.

“PDP and any considered candidate for the party for 2023 governorship election should only be enlisted if provisions of the PDP 2017 Constitution as amended and provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 are met as directed by Honourable Justice Aminu B. Aliyu.”

Lukman alleged that by its conduct, PDP was only working to win the 2023 elections through rigging, noting that PDP, which as a party, managed its internal contests in breach of its own rules could only win elections by unfair and illegal means.

Orbih’s Faction in Edo PDP Jubilates as INEC Displays Final List

There were mixed reactions in the PDP in Edo State, yesterday, as INEC released the list of candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives election in the state, consisting names of candidates from the Orbih-led faction.

For the All Progressives Congress (APC), all its candidates, who emerged at the primary elections including former National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole for Edo North Senatorial District and Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency, Peter Akpatason were also displayed.

The PDP held its primaries nationwide in May this year, but in Edo State both factions held parallel primaries and consequently produced candidates for different elective positions at both ends.

The parallel primaries held in the state and the consequent emergence of winners at both ends for different elective positions resulted in litigations and judgments from different courts. The issues are currently before the Supreme Court.

Reacting to the development, Edo State chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Azeigbemi, said issues were still in court and the candidates would exhaust all available legal means, adding that from the PDP list pasted was on the basis of a court order. 

According to him, “I am sure you know that there are court cases pending, INEC is obeying the court order by publishing these names but until the candidates exhaust all their cases in court, there cannot be a final opinion on this. Until all the parties exhaust their cases in court, we are PDP and we will wait for the final judgment so there is nothing much.”

On his part, the PDP candidate for Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency, Nosa Adams, said it was victory for the party, adding, “It is basically a situation of victory for the PDP for me. It is a situation of no victor, no vanquished all I am concerned about is how we can win the elections for PDP.”