Edo guber: 17 parties to participate in election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that 17 political parties are set to participate in the upcoming Edo governorship election scheduled for September 21.

According to a statement released by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC in Abuja, all 17 parties successfully submitted their candidates' nomination forms before the March 24 deadline, when the INEC portal for submissions closed at 6 p.m.

Olumekun further announced that the personal details of the candidates and their running mates will be made public by the commission on March 30, in accordance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“The commission shall publish the personal particulars by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate at the state headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo,” he said.

Olumekun appealed to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents when published.

He said that any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by the candidate was false could challenge the nomination.

He added that such could be changed in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act, 2022.