The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Saturday, published the forms and particulars of political parties’ candidates submitted for the Edo State governorship election holding on September 21.
The particulars were displayed at the INEC office in Aduwawa in Benin, the state capital, and in all its 18 local government offices in the state.
The list was displayed on the notice board when our correspondent visited the Oredo Local Government secretariat on Saturday.
The state INEC Head of Voters Education and Publicity, Timidi Wariowei, said the pasting of the particulars was in line with the electoral law, noting that parties and the public can now view the particulars of the candidates and their running mates.
He said, “In compliance with the law, today, being March 30, 2024, the INEC Edo State Office and the I8 local government area offices have pasted Form EC9 which is the personal particulars of the 17 candidates and their deputies. The form also includes the credentials of the candidates.
“We have done this in line with the electoral law, and the public and parties can go to all the local government offices to check the list.”
The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a letter dated Wednesday, March 27, 2024, had asked the Edo INEC to display the particulars.
The letter read, “Following the conclusion of party primaries, 17 political parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the Edo State governorship election by the deadline of 6 pm on March 24, 2024, when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.
“The personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their running mates will be published on Saturday, March 30, 2024, a week from the last date for the submission of nominations as provided in Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.
“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.
“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. 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.”