Kogi, Bayelsa polls: INEC disqualifies 14 political parties from participating in elections
- Fourteen political parties have been disqualified from participating in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states
- The parties, which were disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission, were said to have nominated under-aged candidates for the elections
- Eight of the parties were disqualified in Kogi state, while six were disqualified in Bayelsa state
Fourteen political parties have been disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from participating in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states for fielding invalid candidates.
The disclosure was made in a statement in Abuja by the INEC national commissioner, Festus Okoye, on Friday, September 27.
Okoye, who is also the chairman of the commission's information and voter education committee, said eight of the parties were disqualified in Kogi, while six were disqualified in Bayelsa, The Nation reports.
Legit.ng gathers that Okoye said that the disqualified parties in the two states violated the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) by nominating under-aged candidates.
The statement read in part: “At the close of the time stipulated by sections 31, 33 and 35 of Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) for the submission of the names of nominated candidates, 49 nominations were received for Kogi state."
He said 23 political parties will contest the governorship election in Kogi state, while 45 political parties will contest in Bayelsa state.
The statement added: “Out of these, 41 nominations were valid while 8 were invalid. Subsequently, 18 political parties withdrew from contesting the elections. Therefore, 23 political parties will contest the Governorship election in Kogi state.
“For Bayelsa state, a total of 52 nominations were received. Out of these, 46 were valid, while 6 were invalid. One political party has since withdrawn from the contest, leaving a total of 45 political parties to contest the governorship election in Bayelsa state.
“In compliance with section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated will be published in the relevant offices and on the website of the commission on Monday, September 30, 2019.”
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state was warned by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against using violence as cover and justification to manipulate the governorship election slated for Saturday, November 16, in the state.
The party's national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued on Thursday, September 19, declared that the PDP was poised to win the election.
He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must ensure a credible, free and fair process devoid of orchestrated logistic failures that stoke agitations and violence in elections.
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Source: Legit.ng
