INEC Displays List of Governorship Candidates for Edo State Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the list of candidates from 17 political parties contesting in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, unveiled the list at the INEC office in Benin City.

The list includes candidates from various parties, with notable changes such as the substitution of Barrister Anderson Uwadiae Asemota, the candidate of the Alhaji Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP), for Barrister Olumide Akpata of the Julius Abure-led camp of the party.

INEC’s decision to display the list comes after the Apapa faction of the LP submitted Anderson Uwadiae Asemota and Barrister Monday Ojore Mawah as the candidate and running mate of the party, respectively, in a letter dated February 22, 2024, addressed to the National Chairman of INEC.

Among the candidates listed by the Commission are Mr. Uwaifo Osaro (Action Alliance), Aner Abdullai Aliu (Social Democratic Party), Azena Azemhe Friday (New Nigeria Peoples Party), Osifo Isaiah (All Progressive Grand Alliance), Ugiagbe Odaro Syvelster (All People Movement), and Areleogbe Amos Osalumese (All Peoples Party), among others.

INEC has announced plans to publish the personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their deputies, including academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate, at the State Headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo State.

The Commission has urged Nigerians to scrutinize the documents.

Furthermore, INEC stated that any aspirant who participated in the party primaries and has reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by the candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022.