Anambra poll: PDP loses out as INEC finally releases list of candidates, okays Soludo

• The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has listed Prof. Charles Soludo as the candidate of APGA in the coming Anambra poll
• The list of the bonafide candidates for the Anambra governorship election slated for November 6, was released on Thursday, August 19
• Festus Okoye, the INEC national commissioner and chairman made this known in a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday, August 19.

FCT, Abuja - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not participate in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election unless a miracle happens.

The Punch reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, August 19, said the final list of candidates that would contest the governorship poll scheduled for November 6, would be published on October 7.

Legit.ng gathered that in a list released on Thursday, August 19, the commission replaced Michael Umeoji with Chukwuma Soludo as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

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According to the report, the Peoples Democratic Party is still excluded from the list of cleared candidates for the poll.

Festus Okoye, the INEC national commissioner and chairman (Information and Voter Education Committee), said this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, August 19.

He said:

“The commission met today (Thursday, August 19, 2021) and deliberated on a number of issues, including the nomination of candidates for the Anambra governorship election holding on November 6, 2021.

“The timetable and schedule of activities approved by the Commission on January 18, 2021, provides for the withdrawal/substitution of candidates in line with Sec. 35 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended)."

Okoye further stated that the list of substitute candidates, which was attached to this press release has also been published on the commission’s website.

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He, however, noted that the final list of candidates would be published on October 7, as provided in the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.

The News also reports that the APGA commended the INEC for doing the needful by publishing the name of Prof. Soludo and Onyekachikwu Gilbert Ibezim as the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the party.

The party, however, regretted that INEC almost destroyed the nation’s democracy by publishing the name of somebody who had no business being there in the first place.

APGA's factional group rejects court's reinstatement of Soludo

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the reinstatement of Charles Soludo's candidacy as the APGA candidate was rejected by the Jude Okeke-led faction.

It was reported that the national publicity secretary of the faction, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, made this known in a press conference on Monday, July 19, in Abuja.

Chukwunyere insisted that the verdict came from a court with the same jurisdiction, it cannot be dismissed except by a higher court.

Source: Legit.ng