INEC Rejects Governorship Nominations For 7 States

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the submission of governorship candidates by seven parties in different states of the federation.

The parties and the states affected are: Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in Delta state; Labour Party in Niger state; New Nigeria Peoples Party in Ogun state; Unity Party of Nigeria in Oyo state; United Democratic Party in Rivers state; and Peoples Democratic Movement in Sokoto and Zamfara states respectively.

This was contained in a Decision Extract issued and signed by the Director (Commission’s Secretariat), Ishiaku A. Gali.

The commission cited Section 187 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which provides that a candidate to the office of a Governor shall not be deemed to be validly nominated for such office unless he appoints another candidate as his running mate who shall occupy the office of Deputy Governor, for their reject.

It also cited, Section 41 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which provides that: “If after expiration of time for delivering of nomination papers, withdrawal of candidates and the extension of time as provided for in this Act there is only one person whose name is validly nominated in respect of an election, other than to the office of the President or Governor, that person shall be declared elected.”

Also, the Commission approved that the nominated candidate for the uncontested House of Representatives election in Ado/Opoku/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue state, should be declared elected on the day of the election by the Returning Officer.