The camp of Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is beaming with confidence ahead of the release of candidates’ list for the November 16, 2024, governorship election in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The electoral body, in a statement, yesterday, announced that the personal particulars of the candidates and their running mates contesting the state’s governorship election would be published tomorrow, May 25, 2024.
Meanwhile, it is unclear whether INEC will publish Aiyedatiwa’s name as Section 84(13) of the 2022 Electoral Act gives the commission the power to reject individuals submitted as candidates that did not undergo primary elections monitored by INEC and did not emerge from a valid primary. This, however, could be challenged either by any aspirant or a political party in the court.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in the statement,noted that 17 political parties uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the poll by the deadline of 6.00p.m. on Monday, May 20, 2024, when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.
He said the personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their running mates would be published on May 25, 2024, one week from the last date for the submission of nominations as provided in Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022 and listed as item four on the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.
A chieftain of the APC in Ondo State told The Guardian, yesterday, that there was no apprehension in the party ahead of INEC’s publication.
