Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final lists for the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections.
In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Mr. Festus Okoye, the Commission said that the publication of the list followed the conduct of primaries and completion of the nomination exercise by the political parties was pursuant to “section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and item 8 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election”.
According to the statement, 18 political parties fielded presidential candidates and their running mates, while 1,101 candidates are vying for the upper chamber of the National Assembly, the Senate, while 3,122 candidates will vie for the House of Representatives seats.
The breakdown of the list showed that 3,875 of the candidates are male, made up of 35 for Presidential and Vice Presidential, 1,008 for Senate and 2,832 for House of Representatives, while 381 females, comprising one for Presidential, 92 for Senate, and 288 for House of Representatives are contesting the elections.
The list also showed that 11 Persons with Disability are in the race.
INEC also said that the final list of candidates for State elections (Governorship and State Constituencies) would be published on 4th October 2022 as already indicated on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Elections.
The presidential candidates cleared for the 2023 presidential election by INEC include the four frontrunners of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the NNPP.
The others are Christopher Imumolen (Accord); Hamza Al-Mustapha (AA); Omoyele Sowore (AAC); Dumebi Kachikwu (ADC); Yabagi Sani (ADP); and Peter Umeadi (APGA), Princess Chichi Ojei (APM); Osita Charles Nnadi (APP); Oluwafemi Adenuga (BP);; Felix Osakwe (NRM); Atiku Abubakar (PDP); Kola Abiola (PRP); Adewole Adebayo (SDP); Abdulmalik Ado-Ibrahim (YPP) and Dan Nwanyanwu (ZLP).
GIK/APA