2023: Big loss as Lawan, Akpabio, Umahi Missing In INEC's List Of Senatorial Candidates

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, have no place in the 2023 general elections.

This is as the name of these All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains in the list of senatorial candidates for 2023 released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday, June 4.

According to INEC's national commissioner, Festus Okoye, who spoke with Channels TV on Friday, the commission is not obligated to publish the name of candidates who did not emerge from party primaries.

Okoye said:

“If a political party submits to the Independent National Electoral Commission the name of a candidate that did not emerge from party primaries or did not emerge from valid party primaries, the commission is not obligated to publish the name of such a candidate.

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“The final list of validly nominated candidates will be published by the Independent National Electoral Commission on the 20th day of September 2022. And that is for presidential and national assembly candidates.

“What the Commission has published, as of today, complies with Section 29(3) of the electoral act which says that the moment political parties comply with the provision of Section 29 (1) of the electoral act in terms of the submission of its validly nominated candidates, that the Commission shall publish the personal particulars of such candidates in the constituencies where the candidates intend to contest election..."

Moreover, a publication by The Nation has it that Honourable Bashir Sheriff Machina's name is also missing in the list released by INEC.

Source: Legit.ng