2023: INEC Gives Final Answer on Akpabio, Lawan's Senatorial Candidacies
- INEC has rejected Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Godswill Akpabio as senatorial candidates for the 2023 general elections
- In fact, the commission says the APC has no candidates in Yobe North and Akwa Ibom Northwest districts
- According to the electoral body, the ruling party failed to forward the names of candidates who emerged from validly contested elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission has made it clear that the APC has no candidates in Yobe North and Akwa Ibom Northwest senatorial districts ahead of the 2023 General elections.
This was disclosed by INEC's spokesman, Festus Okoye, on Sunday, August 14.
In his conversation with journalists on Sunday, Okoye explained that the commission only recognises candidates who emerged from validly contested polls based on its constitution, The Cable reports.
Source: Facebook
He noted that the electoral body had to reject the name forwarded by the APC (those of Senate President Ahmad Law and Godswill Akpabio) since they are not winners of valid senatorial primary elections.
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Speaking further, Okoye pointed out that since the nation's electoral umpire cannot beg the ruling party to send names of candidates for the districts, it has concluded that the APC has no representatives in the areas for the coming elections.
His words:
“The commission has made it very clear that under section 29(1) of the electoral act, it is the responsibility to forward to INEC the list and personal particulars of their members who emerged from validly-conducted party primaries.
“In these two constituencies, two names were forwarded and the commission made a determination that the names were not persons who emerged from validly-conducted party primaries and we did not publish their names. That is where we are.
“So, the commission will not go out of its way to plead with a political party to forward the name of a candidate that emerged from a validly-conducted primary.
“If a political party does not forward the name of the candidate that emerged from a validly-conducted primary, the implication is that the political party will not have the candidate in the election for that particular constituency and that is just the law.
“Their names were uploaded by the APC to our candidates’ nomination portal, but the commission made a determination that they were not the candidates that emerged from valid party primaries.
“The commission did not publish their names and their particulars in their constituencies. So, the implication is that as of today, the APC does not have candidates in those two constituencies.”
2023: INEC finally recognised Lawan, Akpabio as APC senatorial candidates? Electoral body reacts
Recall that INEC had denied reports claiming that it has finally recognised Lawan, and Akpabio as APC senatorial candidates.
Okoye made this known on Tuesday, August 9, in Abuja.
Okoye said the attention of the commission was drawn to an online report alleging that it doctored, backdated and certified documents to accommodate Lawan and Akpabio as senatorial candidates of the ruling party.
Source: Legit.ng
