A build up to the 2015 elections continues, The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) today, rejected the submission of governorship candidates by seven parties in various states of the federation.
The rejection, according to INEC, was as a result of the parties’ inability to nominate running mates.
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.
In a decision extract issued and signed by the Director (Commission’s Secretariat), Ishiaku A. Gali, the commission also approved that the House of Representatives election in Ado/Opoku/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, being uncontested, and as such, the nominated candidate should be declared elected on the day of the election by the Returning Officer.
Section 187 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) 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.
“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.”
You’d recall that last week, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, rebuffed calls for the postponement of the 2015 general election, insisting that the scheduled elections will hold as planned.
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