The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates eligible to participate in the forthcoming general elections. In the list are names of candidates for the presidential, national and state assemblies. According to the list, a total of 72 Presidential candidates, alongside their running mates, will be contesting. The commission also […]
6 years ago
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates eligible to participate in the forthcoming general elections.
In the list are names of candidates for the presidential, national and state assemblies.
According to the list, a total of 72 Presidential candidates, alongside their running mates, will be contesting.
The commission also added that the final register of voters stands at 84, 004,084, while 91 political parties are contesting in different constituencies nationwide.
Accordingly, the 2019 general elections will see the highest number of registered voters and a record number of political parties.
“A total of 73 candidates are contesting in the presidential election, 1,904 in the Senatorial and 4,680 in the Federal (House of Representatives) elections, making a total of 6,657 candidates contesting for 470 seats,” INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said during a meeting with committee of Vice Chancellors in Abuja.
He said, “At the polling unit level, the critical segment of election duty staff is drawn from products of our Universities and polytechnics involved in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. For the various collation and declaration centres, the Commission draws the required Collation and Returning Officers from the academic staff of our Universities, including the Vice Chancellors who serve as Returning Officers for Governorship elections and Collation Officers for the Presidential elections.
“It has been a happy collaboration which has further enhanced the transparency and credibility of the elections in Nigeria as well as public confidence in the process. The Commission wishes to sustain and deepen this collaboration.
“It is less than a month to the 2019 General Elections. On Saturday 16th February 2019, elections will hold in 470 constituencies nationwide made up of the Presidential, 190 Senatorial and 360 Federal Constituencies. Two weeks later on Saturday 2nd March 2019, elections will hold in 1,088 constituencies made up of 29 Governorship elections, 991 State Constituencies and 68 Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory. In summary, there are 1,553 Constituencies for which elections will be held this year”.
The INEC chairman said also that collation of results will take place in 8,809 registration areas or wards, 774 local government areas and 36 states and the FCT, added that they require Returning Officers for the elections.
He continued: “For the 2019 General Elections, the Commission would require some 10,603 staff to support the various collation and declaration processes. It is for this reason that this meeting is of crucial importance. We need the support of our universities to source the requisite number of interested academic staff on the understanding that this is essentially a national service.
“As in previous elections, we have requested each University for a specified number of academic staff as contained in my letter to the Vice Chancellors. Staff who are card carrying members or have participated in partisan politics should not be nominated. Similarly, those who may not be involved in partisan political activities but are known to have obvious political leanings should not be nominated. The Commission will carefully scrutinise the list which must be submitted confidentially in the manner prescribed by Commission in my letter to the Vice Chancellors.
“The Commission always appreciates the support of the Vice Chancellors and the collaboration with the universities often under strenuous circumstances. We shall continue to work together.”
Below is the list of the presidential candidates :
