Ondo 2016: 30 political parties present candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 30 political parties had submitted names of their candidates for the Nov. 26 governorship election in Ondo state.



The commission’s Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Nick Dazang, disclosed this in an interview with journalists. Dazang said that all the parties met the Thursday deadline for the submission of names of the candidate as specified by the Electoral Act.

He said that the names of the candidates could not be announced until the date specified by the Electoral Act, as they were still subject to change. “As at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, 30 political parties have submitted the list of their candidates for the Ondo governorship election. “The parties can also substitute these names between now and Oct. 27, that is one month to the election when we will publish the final list.

“At that point when the list is published, they cannot withdraw or substitute any longer,’’ he explained. Dazang also said the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction submitted names of candidates for the election. He said that the commission was yet to decide on which of the two candidates, Mr Eyitayo Jegede or Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, that was acceptable to it. Jegede emerged from the primary election organized National Caretaker Committee, while Ibrahim is the candidate of the Sheriff-led faction.