2019 Polls: INEC Releases Final List Of Candidates

• Bars APC candidates in Rivers, Zamfara

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – Keeping faith with its timetable for the 2019 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday circulated the final list of presidential and National Assembly (NASS) candidates.

The list shows all political parties candidates cleared by the electoral umpire to feature in this year’s presidential and NASS polls slated for February 16.

However, major casualties on the INEC’s list are the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial, National and State Assembly candidates in Rivers and Zamfara states.

Names of the governing party’s flag-bearers were conspicuously missing from the list signed by the Secretary of INEC, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

Similarly, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) did not have the name of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates on the published list by INEC.

According to the electoral umpire, the development was based on the court order that sacked former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, as the SDP presidential candidate, while recognising Professor Jerry Gana as the duly nominated flag-bearer of the Party.

Interestingly, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had also barred the APC from presenting candidates in Rivers and Zamfara states due to its inability to resolve the internal crises rocking the party over the conduct of its primary elections in both states.

Also, in spite of the much-publicised endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), all parties in the alliance still have names of their presidential standard bearers and running mates on the published list.

Meanwhile, there are 26 female contestants in both the presidential and vice-presidential categories, while the People Living With Disabilities (PLWD) are not on the roll call. Also, the academic qualifications of the candidates were displayed in the required column as specified by the electoral act.

With the development in Rivers and Zamfara States, it is official that the APC will not participate in the February 16 National Assembly’s polls as well as the March 2, 2019 governorship elections in Zamfara and Rivers, except a court of competent jurisdiction upturns the status quo.

So by implication, the governing party would not be retaining or seeking to  improve its electoral fortunes on the senatorial and House of Representatives seats it currently has in both States.