THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the list of candidates for the Edo State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, September 21.
According to INEC, 17 political parties will participate in the poll.
The INEC displayed the list at its state office in Benin City, the Edo State capital and all the commission’s offices across the state’s 18 Local Government Areas on Saturday, March 30.
The candidates include the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Ighodalo Asuerinme, All Progressives Congress (APC) Okpebholo Monday, and Labour Party’s (LP) Olumide Akpata.
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Others are the Accord Party’s (AP), Enabulele Bright; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obazele Paul Agbone, Boot Party’s (BP), Osirame Edeipo; People Redemption Party’s (PRP) Key Ndidi and Young Progressive Party’s (YPP) Okungbowa Paul Ovbokhan.
The list also contains Action Alliance’s (AA) candidate, Uwaifo Osaro; the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) flagbearer, Aner Abdullai Aliu; All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Osifo Isiah; and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Azena Azemhe.
Besides, the African Action Congress (AAC) has Udoh Obersifo David; Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena; Action Democratic Party (ADP), Akhime Kingson Afere; All Peoples Party (APP), Areleogbe Amos Osalumese; and the All People Movement (APM), Ugiagbe Odaro Syvelster.
According to the INEC head of voters’ education and publicity for the state, Timidi Wariowei, releasing the candidates’ list is in tandem with electoral law.
He also pointed out that parties and the public could assess the details of the candidates and their running mates and raise observations.
Meanwhile, the state deputy governor’s name, Philip Shaibu, is missing from the list.
Shaibu, who contested the ticket under the PDP, claimed he was the authentic candidate of the PDP for the Edo governorship election.
Shaibu was declared the winner of a factional governorship primary election that was reportedly held at his residence in Benin City.
Ighodalo was also announced as the winner of another PDP primary, which took place at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
After the primary, the Edo State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, March 6, commenced a move to impeach Shaibu.
Shaibu is being accused of perjury and revealing government secrets.
The majority leader, Charity Aiguobarueghian, who issued the impeachment notice during plenary, stated that the petition, dated March 5, was signed by 21 of the 24 members against the deputy governor.
Aiguobarueghian further noted that the number of members who signed the petition was more than the two-thirds requirement stipulated in Section 188 (2a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives and the ex-Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly was given seven days to respond to the allegations levelled against him.
His impeachment notice might not be unconnected with his face-off with the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance