Ahead of the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to disclose the particulars of 17 governorship candidates and their running mates on March 30, 2024.
These personal particulars, along with copies of Form EC9 and all academic credentials and other submitted documents, will be publicly displayed at the state headquarters and 18 local government offices across Edo State, according to INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.
Olumekun emphasized that 17 political parties had submitted their candidates’ nomination forms for the Edo State Governorship Election by the March 24, 2024, deadline, after which the dedicated portal automatically closed at 6 pm.
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He further stated, “The commission shall publish the personal particulars by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate at the state headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo State.”
The commission urged Nigerians to scrutinize the published documents. Olumekun added, “Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by the candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.”
The frustration of the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, over the contentious primary elections was also highlighted. Yakubu, speaking in Abuja at a meeting with political parties, expressed concern over the internal conflicts within political parties, citing their disruptive impact on INEC’s activities and the waste of funds defending litigation stemming from controversial primaries.
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