The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the list of 80 successful candidates, including Governor David Umahi, for the 2023 National Assembly elections in Ebonyi State.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Joseph Chukwu, made this known at a news briefing at the INEC headquarters in Abakaliki on Tuesday.
Chukwu explained that the list had been displayed at the state headquarters and INEC offices in the 13 local government areas of the state.
According to him, the commission cleared thirty-two presidential and vice presidential candidates from the eighteen registered political parties for the 2023 election.
Chukwu said that the display of the list of cleared candidates was in compliance with section 32 (1) of the Electoral Act.
The section provides that the names of candidates sponsored by political parties shall be published one hundred and fifty days before the poll.
A breakdown of the list showed 29 Senatorial and 51 House Representatives candidates from the 3 senatorial districts and 6 federal constituencies of Ebonyi.
NAN reports that Umahi made the senatorial list as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ebonyi South.
Meanwhile, with the latest disclosure by INEC, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan is out from next year’s senatorial election, while former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the poll.
Recall that Umahi, Lawan and Akpabio nominations for the 2023 senatorial elections had been under contention, following their losing out at the presidential primaries of the APC.
INEC had refused to publish the names of any candidates for the party in the affected senatorial districts.
However, a Federal High Court, Abuja, had ordered INEC to accept and publish Akpabio’s name as the candidate of the APC for the 2023 Akwa Ibom North/West Senatorial District election.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Monday.
