INEC releases credentials of candidates for public scrutiny two weeks to by-elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday announced the publication of the credentials of candidates contesting the by-elections in four states for public scrutiny, verification or litigation.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement on Saturday, declared: “the commission wishes to draw attention to the provision of Section 31(5) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which entitles “any person who has reasonable grounds to believe that any information given by a candidate in the affidavit or any document submitted by that candidate is false to file a suit at the Federal High Court, High Court of a state or FCT against such person seeking a declaration that the information contained I the affidavit is false,”

The publication of the credentials was done two weeks to the March 14 by-elections holding in Niger, Kwara, Sokoto and Jigawa states.

The by-elections will be conducted in Magama/Rijau (Niger) and Babura/Garki (Jigawa) federal constituencies, as well as Patigi (Kwara) and Kebbe (Sokoto) state constituencies.

It was indicated that 10 political parties may be participating in the election. INEC identified the parties to include: Accord, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Peoples Party (APP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Action Congress (AAC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Okoye stated that the commission is determined to conduct free and fair elections in accordance with extant laws, adding that, however, INEC will work with critical stakeholders to ensure the peaceful conduct of the elections.

The national commissioner also appealed to all eligible voters in the respective constituencies to go out and exercise their franchise on the day of the elections.

On the publication of the credentials, INEC counseled any individual or group that has reasons to challenge the credibility of the documents submitted by the candidates to proceed to court.