Ahead of the September 10 Edo State Governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday cleared the candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and 18 others, to contest the poll.
The INEC Secretary, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, said in a statement that 19 political parties and their candidates had been cleared by the commission to contest the election.
The embattled factional chairman of the PDP, Modu Sheriff, had on Tuesday claimed that his group’s standard bearer, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, remained the party’s governorship candidate for the Edo governorship poll.
Sheriff had hinged his claim on an Abuja Federal High Court ruling recognizing him as the only one who should submit the names of the party’s governorship candidates for Edo and Ondo States to INEC.
But the INEC statement on Thursday cited Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which says, “The Commission shall, at least thirty days before the day of the election publish by displaying or causing to be displayed at the relevant office(s) of the Commission and on the Commission’s website, a statement of the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated.”
The commission had earlier denied the Sheriff faction recognition, saying it derived its powers from section 85 of the Electoral Act, which stipulates that parties must inform INEC of their primary election 21 days before the conduct of the exercise.
INEC said that unlike the Makarfi faction which gave the commission 21 days notice, the Sheriff group failed to comply with the Electoral Act and its officials did not monitor its primary like it did with the Makarfi group.
The list of the other candidates and parties released on Thursday by INEC included Ishaka Paul Ofemile (AA), Andrew Igewmoh (ACD), Cosmos Irabor (ACPN), Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki (APC), Onaiwu Osaze Osaro (APGA), among others.
Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Modu-Sheriff faction, Benard Mimko, in a reaction, said, “We are not bothered, we know our candidate will contest the September 10 governorship election”.
