Edo poll: INEC clears Ize-Iyamu, Obaseki, 17 others …Registers 1,925,105 voters for election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, finally published the list of candidates cleared from 19 political parties ahead  of the September 10 governorship election in Edo State.

According to a statement by the secretary to the commission, Mrs Augusta  Ogakwu, which was made available to newsmen in Abuja,  the 19 political parties and their candidates have been cleared by the commission to contest the election.

In the  list, the commission named Ize-Iyamu ,who emerged from the primaries conducted by the Senator  Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic  (PDP), as the party’s  authentic candidate for the election.

The commission did not recognise Mathew Iduoriyekemwen, the  candidate from Senator Ali Modu Sheriff -led camp, whose name had earlier been submitted to it

Sheriff, who on Tuesday, asked INEC to recognise Iduoriyekemwen as the authentic candidate, had earlier written to the commission not to recognise Ize-Iyamu.

The commission  had earlier declared that it recognised Ize-Iyamu because it monitored the primaries that produced him,  adding that it did not monitor the primaries conducted by the  Sheriff -led faction because it  didn’t give the commission the 21 days notice as required by the Electoral Act.

The commission also said it relied on the July 4 judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt which recognised   Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee as the legitimate leadership of PDP.

The commission cited Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that: “The commission shall, at least, 30 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 list of candidates and their parties released are as follows:  Ishaka Paul Ofemile and his deputy,  Ewemade Nancy Osagie (AA);  Andrew Igewmoh and his deputy, Osagie Egharevba Andrew (ACD); Cosmos  Irabor and his deputy, Fredrick Parker Odegua (ACPN); Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu (APC); Onaiwu Osaze Osaro and his deputy, Okpebholo Oyemen Gladys (APGA); David Ewanlen Okoror and his deputy,   Ekhorotomwen Smile Uyi (CPP).

Others are: Tobi Adeniyi and his deputy, Ibolo Julius A. (ID); Thompson Osadolor and his deputy Florence Adaehomen Okundaye  (KOWA); Amos Osalumese Areloegbe and his deputy Jane Osagie                                                    (LP); Oronsaye Richard   and his deputy  Omijie Ehinor; (MPPP); Peters Osawaru Omoragbon and his (NCP); Ukonga Frank and his deputy, Emodogo Dorcas Eweha (NNPP); Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena and his deputy Aiyanyor Efosa Osarobo (PDC); Ize-Iyamu Osagie Andrew (PDP) and his deputy John Ehibhatoman Yakubu (PDP); Thomas Amanesi Sadoh and his deputy Onaiwu V. Ogbeide (PPA);  Agol Tracy Ebun and his deputy, Osayomore Clement Osazee                       (PPN).

The rest are;  Omorogieva Gbajumo and his Deputy Isaac P.E. Ogona                            (SDP); Adviser Shadrach Nowamagbe Efogie and his     Deputy, Okosun Davies Roseline (UPP); Nurudeen Inwanefero and his Deputy Dakpokpo Georgina (YDP).

…Registers 1,925,105 voters for election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shown its readiness to conduct the September 10 governorship election  in Edo State with the presentation in Benin, on Thursday, of the official voter register to  the representatives of political parties participating in the election.

The electoral body also released the statistics of the election at the presentation that was attended by agencies that will be involved in the election such as the police, the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

The figures released showed that a total of 1,925,105 people registered for the election out of which 132,559 were registered during the Continuos Voters Registration in June, 2016.

INEC national commissioner, South South, Dr Muhammed Lecky, who spoke during the presentation,  said that the number of registered voters dropped by 136,038, suggesting that individuals, who were involved in multiple registration have been removed from INEC’s database.

Other figures as released by INEC showed that election would be conducted in 2,627 polling units across the state out of which 561, representing 21 per cent are concentrated in Oredo Local Government Area.

The national commissioner, who later presented copies of the voter register to representatives of the political parties, however, regretted that more than 400,000 permanent voter cards (PVCs) were yet to be collected.

Also speaking, the  state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said the police would be involved in every stage of the election., starting with the distribution of voters register across 18 local government areas of the state.

He assured that  INEC would sustain   ongoing efforts to make the election free and fair and appealed to politicians to shun violence.