By EMMANUEL OLONIRUHA

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates for the Sept. 19 Governorship Election in Edo State.

The commission disclosed this in a statement issued by Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the list of the 14 political parties published by the commission shows that 12 out of the 14 governorship candidates were male while two female.

It also showed that only two of the deputy governorship candidates were female.

The two female governorship candidates were Mabel Oboh of African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Agol Tracy of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); while the two female deputy governorship candidates were Mogbelehan Pauline of Labour Party (LP) and Omion Omonye of Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Okoye said INEC publication was done by displaying list of the candidates at the commission’s offices in Benin, the Edo State capital and the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, which has also been uploaded on the Commission’s website.

He said that the publication of the list was in compliance with INEC timetable and schedule of activities and in accordance with Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

“By Section 35 of the Electoral Act and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities of the Commission, the withdrawal and substitution of candidates for the Edo Governorship election ended on July 13.

“With the publication of the Final List of candidates, no political party can withdraw or substitute any of the nominated candidates or tamper with the list and particulars of the candidates in a manner inconsistent with the intendment of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.”

Okoye urged political parties to pay close attention to the timelines stipulated in the timetable and schedule of activities of the Commission as well as the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act. (NAN)

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