The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will release the personal particulars of candidates nominated by their political parties for the 2023 Governorship and State Assembly elections in all the constituencies nationwide to the public on Friday.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, revealed this on Thursday at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja during the swearing-in of a new Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Hale Longpet.
Mr Yakubu told Nigerians to look well into the profiles and seek redress for any found infringement of the law as provided by the electoral act.
“As we continue to prepare for the 2023 General Election in earnest, the Commission will tomorrow, Friday July 22, publish the personal particulars of candidates nominated by their political parties for Governorship and State Assembly elections in all the constituencies nationwide as required by law.
“I appeal to all Nigerians (citizens and aspirants) to seize the opportunity to scrutinise the particulars of the candidates and to seek judicial remedy for any observed violation of the law as provided in Section 29 of the Electoral Act 2022,” he said.
Mahmood stressed the high number of pre-election suits that INEC had be joined as respondent stands at 344 cases across the nation.
“Already, the Commission has been inundated by numerous pre-election cases arising from the conduct of congresses and primaries by political parties for the 2023 General Election.
“So far, 334 pre-election cases have been filed in various divisions of the Federal High Court across the country by aspirants challenging the nomination of candidates or their exclusion from the list submitted to the Commission.
“Although these are purely intra-party issues, the Commission has been joined in all these cases.
“With the publication tomorrow of the personal particulars of candidates for governorship, deputy governorship and state assembly elections, we expect the number of cases to rise even higher,” Mr Yakubu said.