Ahead of the Edo state gubernatorial election slated for November 16, 2024, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the final list containing the names of the candidates for the election on Monday.
However, the election body failed to include the name of the embattled former deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, despite claims by him that he is the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.
News About Nigeria recalls that during the primary election of the PDP in the state, Shaibu created his faction, where he organised another primary and emerged as the winner.
The announcement of the final list of candidates was made in a statement by the National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.
In the statement, INEC disclosed that 17 political parties have fielded candidates for the election, of which 16 are male and one is female.
The election body further revealed that the final list has been published at their office in Edo State and has also been published on the official website of the commission.
“The Commission is pleased to announce the publication of the final list of candidates for the Edo State Governorship Election. Following the initial primaries, the Commission published the personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their running mates in our state and local government offices in Edo State. Overall, seventeen (17) political parties are fielding candidates in the election. Sixteen (16) are male while one (1) is female.”
Olumekun further noted that political parties and their candidates are now permitted to start campaigning in public from Wednesday, April 24, 2024, to midnight of Thursday, September 19, 2024.
