INEC Remains Firm on Placeholder for Edo Governorship

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has no intention to change the deputy governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

The commission said it stands by what it has published as the final list of candidates contesting the election.

Edo State chapter of the LP had rejected the final list of candidates published by the commission, saying it published the name of what it called a placeholder as its deputy governorship candidate.

Edo LP claimed that they followed laid down procedure to replace Oluyinka Faith Alufohoi with Asamah Yusuf Kadiri as its deputy governorship candidate within the stipulated time.

They blamed what they described as “technical glitches” from the LP headquarters for the error published by INEC.

Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that “a political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under Section 29 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by candidate; Provided that in the case of such withdrawal or death of a candidate, the political party shall, within 14 days of the occurrence of the event, hold a fresh primary election to produce and submit a fresh candidate to the commission for the election concerned.”