The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the names of eighteen candidates for the 2023 presidential election and 4,223 others for the National Assembly elections.
Those published were considered validly
nominated by their respective political parties.
Prominent among the presidential candidates
that made the final list were Asiwanu Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives
Congress (APC); Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Peter
Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian People’s
Party (NNPP) and Adebayo Adewole of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Among others.
But Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, was
omitted as the APC does not have any candidate for Yobe North Senatorial
district while the name of former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill
Akpabio, was published as the APC candidate for Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial
District.
A further breakdown of the list showed that
1,101 candidates are contesting the 109 Senatorial seats, while 3,122
candidates are vying for the 469 House of Representatives seats.
Among the candidates for the presidential
and National Assembly elections, were 3,875, made up of 35 for presidential and
vice presidential, 1,008 for Senate and 2,832 for House of Representatives.
Similarly, 381 females comprising one for Presidential, 92 for Senate, and 288
for House of Representatives are contesting.
Eleven Persons with Disability (PWDs) are
also contesting.
A statement by INEC National Commissioner
and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, reads:
“in summary, all the 18 political parties have fielded candidates and their
running mates for the Presidential election.
“For legislative elections, 1,101
candidates are vying for 109 Senatorial seats and 3,122 candidates for Federal
Constituencies i.e. House of Representatives seats, making a total of 4,223
candidates contesting for 469 legislative positions.