By Sunday Etuka, Abuja
No fewer than seventeen (17) political parties would participate in the forthcoming Edo State Governorship election, according to the final list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun who release the list said, out of the seventeen candidates, who would take part in the September 2024 election, “sixteen (16) are male, while one (1) is a female”.
Mr. Olumekun disclosed that the final list, which also gives the breakdown of the candidates by age, academic qualifications and disability, has been published at the office in Edo State and also uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms for public information.
He explained that following the initial primaries, the Commission published the personal particulars of the Governorship candidates and their running mates in the State and Local Government offices in Edo State.
However, he said, in line with the provision of Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, some political parties conducted fresh primaries to replace their earlier nominated candidates by the deadline of 15th April 2024.
“The Action Alliance (AA) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) replaced their Governorship candidates and their running mates.
“In addition, the African Action Congress (AAC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Boot Party (BP) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) replaced the running mates of their candidates only”, the INEC National Commissioner added.
He declared that with the publication of the final list of candidates for the Election, the next activity is electioneering campaign.
He noted that as provided by Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, campaign by Political Parties in public shall commence not earlier than 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.
Therefore, he said that Political Parties are now permitted to start campaign in public from Wednesday 24th April 2024 and end at midnight on Thursday 19th September 2024 as indicated in items 8 and 12 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election.
He stated that “as parties commence this critical phase of the election, the Commission reminds candidates, agents and their supporters of the provision of the law and the Commission’s guidelines governing such activity”, emphasising that “parties shall conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum devoid of inciting language, violence, voter inducement and other infractions mentioned in Sections 92 – 97 of the Electoral Act 2022”.
