The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates that will participate in the Ekiti State governorship election on June 18. This was contained in the commission’s personal particulars of the candidates published last month. The commission said its action was in compliance with the Electoral Act, following the close of nominations by political parties.
A statement by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said Mr. Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji (54) was cleared as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with Afuye Monisade (63) as his running mate; Olabisi Kolawole (64) is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate with Kolapo Olugbenga Kolade (55) as his running mate
The two women in the race are: Elebute-Halle Josephine Kemi (40) of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), with Afuye Idowu Sunday (41) as her running mate, and Christiana Modupe Olatawura (62) of the Action Peoples Party (APP), whose running mate is Ibukun Solomon Owolabi (38).
Chief Olusegun Adebayo Oni (67) is running on the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP) with James Oladipo Owolabi (68) as his running mate; Adebowale Oluranti Ajayi (62) is the candidate of Young Peoples Party (YPP) with Olaseni Nureni Babatunde (48) as his running mate, and Adeolu Kolade Akinyemi (43) is the candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) with Damilola Akintoye (36) as his running mate.
The statement said: “On Wednesday, February 16, 2022, the INEC published the personal particulars and list of candidates (Form EC9) for the Ekiti State governorship election in our state and local government offices, as required by law.
“In compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, the commission hereby publishes the final list of candidates for the election following the close of nominations by political parties.
“The commission wishes to remind political parties that under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2022, any party that observes that the name of its candidate is missing from the list ‘shall notify the Commission in writing, signed by its National Chairman and Secretary, supported with an affidavit not later than 90 days to the election’.
It added: “Furthermore, the attention of parties is drawn to Section 32(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which provides that failure to notify the commission ‘shall not be ground to invalidate the election’.
“The final list is published in our state and local government offices in Ekiti State as well as on our website and social media platforms for public information, as required by law.
“Political parties are enjoined to note the provision of the law for compliance.”
Also, many eligible voters in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday lamented their inability to register in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) by the INEC in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent, who monitored the exercise, reports that it was marred by series of complaints and frustrations in most registration centres visited. INEC had announced March 14 as the deadline for CVR in the state ahead of the June 18 governorship poll. Some of the registrants, who claimed to have arrived at the centres as early as 7 a.m, said they were not attended to as at 2 p.m.
Source: The Nation
