Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has confirmed that the Commission has made adjustments to the candidates list following recent court rulings.
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in preparation for the upcoming Edo governorship election on September 21, 2024, Yakubu revealed that the Labour Party’s running mate has been replaced and the National Rescue Movement (NRM) has been added to the list of participating parties.
Addressing a gathering that included the Inspector-General of Police, political party leaders, candidates, election observers, and media representatives, Yakubu noted that INEC has successfully implemented 11 out of 13 scheduled activities for the election, with only two tasks remaining. He also reminded political parties that campaigning must end at midnight on Thursday, September 19, 2024, as required by law.
He explained the court-mandated changes, stating, “By court order, the Commission has replaced the running mate to the candidate of the Labour Party. Similarly, the National Rescue Movement (NRM), which could not file its nomination on schedule, has obtained a court order to compel the Commission to include the party on the ballot. We have complied with the court order.”
Read Also:Â INEC Confirms Funding Secured for Edo State Governorship Election Preparations
With the updates, Yakubu confirmed that 18 political parties will now be participating in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election. The revised list of candidates and parties was shared with stakeholders during the meeting.
