The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the forthcoming governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, scheduled for March 2. The lists published on INEC’s website, and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, showed that 32 political parties will be contesting the governorship election in Abia, Adamawa 29 parties, Akwa Ibom 45, Bauchi 31, Benue 33, Borno 34, Lagos 45, Ogun 4, Rivers 64, Kano 55, Sokoto 51 and Zamfara 41.
INEC, however, recognized Sen. Buruji Kashamu as the governorship candidate and Reuben Abati as his running mate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun. INEC did not include the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the candidates for governorship election in Zamfara and Rivers. The commission did not also clear the APC for House of Assembly elections in Rivers and Zamfara.
According to a statement earlier issued by Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja, there are 1,066 candidates for the Governorship elections. He also disclosed that there are 14,583 candidates for the State Assembly elections and 806 for the FCT Area Council elections comprising 105 chairmanship candidates and 701 Councillorship candidates. Okoye said that the commission’s decision that the APC was not eligible to field candidates for the forthcoming national assembly, governorship and state assembly elections in Zamfara, stands.
Okoye said that the commission noted there were two court judgements on the matter – one from a State High Court in Gusau and the other from a Federal High Court in Abuja. “The former judgement clearly says that the APC conducted primaries in Zamfara, contrary to the position of the commission. On the other hand, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the party did not conduct valid primaries and therefore, not eligible to field candidates for the elections. The Commission will like to re-affirm its commitment to obeying all court judgements, even when it disagrees with them. However, these are clearly two contradictory judgements delivered by two courts of coordinate jurisdiction on the same day. Consequently, the Commission has decided to maintain its original position that the party in question did not conduct primaries. And, therefore, in line with Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the APC is not eligible to field candidates for the national assembly, governorship and state assembly elections in Zamfara,” Okoye said.
On his part, Sen. Buruji Kashamu, the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun, says his emergence on INEC’s final list of candidates is a victory for resilience. Kashamu commended INEC and the judiciary for standing firm on the side of justice and the rule of law. The PDP expelled Sen. Kashamu for hobnobbing with the APC – an action seen as unacceptable to the PDP, which proceeded to disavow Kashamu as its gubernatorial candidate for the 2019 elections. In a swift reaction, Kashamu, through his spokesperson, Austin Onyikor, said in Ijebu Ode that despite the announcement, “there was no victor, no vanquished.” The senator, currently representing Ogun-East Senatorial District, urged party faithful to work together for victory at the polls. He said with the publication of the final list of candidates by INEC, it was incumbent on all lovers of the party to close ranks and work to deliver Ogun for the PDP.
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