The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed their commencement to bring down activities on the submission and withdrawal of candidates for the upcoming 2019 general election. They promised not to accept any breach in their scheduled plans for the upcoming elections.
The warning is coming at the heel of the closing date for the substitution of governorship, state Assembly and also council polls because all political parties still have the grace to substitute or withdraw from now till First December 2018 midnight ahead of 2nd march, 2019 state polls.
Igbere Tv gathered that Prof. Mahmood Yakubu who is the INEC chairman unveiled that the commission has religiously followed the timelines and has so far executed seven of its fourteen scheduled activities.
“We did not, and will never tolerate any breach of the strict timelines provided in the scheduled chart for the polls,” he said.
“You would recall that on nine of January 2018, the commission released it’s timetable and also how their activities are been arranged for the upcoming 2019 general polls. This is the 1st time in our history, the date for for General Elections was over a year in advance.
“More specifically, the timetable lists (14) step-by-step constitutional, other legal and other statutory activities required of the Commission ahead of the elections beginning with the formal Publication of Notice, ending with the election day.
“So far, INEC has successfully implemented seven (7) out of the fourteen (14) activities strictly on schedule, including the conduct of party primaries for all elections and the processes of nomination of candidates.”
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu also accused some political parties of submitting underage candidates for the presidential election, thereby running against the electoral law.
The commission confirmed that at the end of the period for the substitution and withdrawal of candidates for the Presidential election, a total number of 73 political parties have now filed their nominations. Also, the not-too-young-to-run law set the thirty-five age for the president and Vice President.
The bill was passed by the National Assembly last year to alter Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the constitution. It was to reduce the age qualification for president from 40 to 30; governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
The commission however noted that the attention of the parties concerned have been drawn to the breach of the constitutional requirement.
“A few parties have nominated candidates below the mandatory age of thirty five years as Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. We have drawn the attention of the concerned parties that might breach the constitutional requirement ahead of the publication of the full list of presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2019 General polls” he narrated.
On the number of political parties that filed their nominations for the presidential election, “At the end of the period for the substitution and withdrawal of candidates, a total of 73 political parties have now filed their nominations.
For National Assembly elections, he said a total of 1,848 candidates are vying for the 109 senatorial seats, while 4,635 candidates for the House of Representatives.
The breakdown shows that 1,615 male and 233 female are contesting for the senatorial seats while 4,066 male and 569 female are competing for the 360 seats in the House of Representatives.
As for State elections, a total of 1,068 candidates are contesting for 29 governorship positions, while work is still going on for the 991 States Assembly as well as the 68 Area Council chairmen and counsellors for the Federal Capital Territory.
The breakdown for the governorship list shows 980 male and 88 female are contesting for 29 Governorship positions with 805 male and 263 female Deputy Governorship candidates.
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