The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) on Wednesday in Abuja said
37 political parties would be
presenting candidates in the Anambra governorship election scheduled for Nov.
18. The Commission, in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Mr Oluwole
Osaze-Uzzi, released a list of the candidates, with five women vying for the
governorship seat. The list also have eight others vying for the office of
Deputy Governor.
INEC The candidates included Mr
Willie Obiano, the incumbent governor, with his deputy Nkemakonam Okeke, vying
under the flag of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Also on the list
are Mr Oseloka Obaze of the PDP, with Chidi Onyemelukwe, a woman, as his
running mate. It also has Mr Tony Nwoye of the APC, with Dozie Arinze, a woman,
as his running mate. Others on the list are Nwezi Amechi and his running mate
Okeke Njideka, a woman, for All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP). Oby Okafor and her
running mate Onyekwuluje Uzoma as candidate for Advanced Congress of Democrats
(ACD) also made the list.
Former Minister of Aviation, Osita
Chidoka, is also carrying the flag of United Progressive Party (UPP), with
Okeke Ogbonnaya as his running mate. The rest of the political parties with
candidates on the list include Alliance Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN),
African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA) and Action Democratic
Party (ADP). Others are APDA, African People’s Party (APP), Better Nigeria
Progressive Party (BNPP), Democratic Alternative (DA), Democratic Peoples
Congress (DPC), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and
Kowa Party.
The Labour Party (LP), as well as
Masses Movement Of Nigeria (MMM), Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP),
National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP) and United Democratic Party (UDP) also
have candidates. Candidates of National Conscience Party (NCP), New Nigeria
Peoples Party (NNPP), Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC), National Unity Party
(NUP) and People for Democratic Change (PDC) were also successful. Also listed
as parties with candidates are the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Peoples
Party of Nigeria (PPN), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party
(SDP) and United Progressive Party (UPP).
The rest are Young Democratic Party
(YDP) and Young Progressive Party (YPP). The Commission, in the statement, also
disclosed that it had approved the applications of 44 observer groups,
comprising 38 domestic and six international groups, to observe the election.
The international observer groups are the British High Commission,
International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), American Embassy Abuja,
European Union, High Commission of Canada, and African Union Economic Social
and Cultural Council.
The domestic groups include African
Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, Centre for Credible
Leadership, Citizens Awareness, and the Initiative for Promotion of Civic
Obligation Sustainable. Similarly, the Commission approved the change of name
and adjustment of logo of the All Democratic Peoples Movement (ADPM) to AGAP.
The Commission added that it had
also approved the issuance of a Certificate of Registration in the name of AGAP
to the party. Meanwhile the Commission has fixed Thursday for a meeting of the
Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Sept. 29 for the Inter-Agency
Consultative Committee on Electoral Securities (ICCES) meeting. Similarly, the
Commission would meet with leaders of the political parties on Tuesday and
conclude its series of meetings with the media and Civil Society Organisations
(CSOs) on Wednesday.
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