The Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, has threatened to disqualify the presidential
candidates of some political parties due to their age.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu issued the threat yesterday while accusing
some political parties of submitting underaged candidates for the
presidential race.
Speaking at a capacity building for journalists in Abuja, the INEC boss
said the Commission discovered that some nominated candidates were below
the mandatory age of thirty-five years for presidential and vice
presidential candidates.
According to Mahmood, ”A few parties have nominated candidates below the
mandatory age of thirty-five (35) years for as presidential and vice
presidential candidates,” he said.
“We have drawn the attention of the parties concerned to the breach of
the constitutional requirement ahead of the publication of the full list
of presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2019 general
elections.
“So far, INEC has successfully implemented seven out of the 14
activities strictly on schedule, including the conduct of party
primaries for all elections and the processes of nomination of
candidates.
“We did not, and will never, tolerate any breach of the strict timelines provided for in the timetable for the elections.
“At the end of the period for the substitution and withdrawal of
candidates for the presidential election, a total of 73 political
parties have now filed their nominations.
“Even so, a few parties have nominated candidates below the mandatory
age of 35 years for as presidential and vice presidential candidates.
“We have drawn the attention of the parties concerned to the breach of
the constitutional requirement ahead of the publication of the full list
of presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2019 general
elections.
“For National Assembly elections, a total of 1,848 candidates (1,615
male and 233 female) are vying for 109 Senatorial seats while 4,635
candidates (4,066 male and 569 female) are competing for the 360 seats
in the House of Representatives.
“Similarly, the full list of candidates and their political parties will
be published for public information in line with the Commission’s
timetable and schedule of activities.
“As for state elections, a total of 1,068 candidates, 980 male and 88
female, are contesting for 29 Governorship positions with 805 male and
263 female deputy governorship candidates.
“The commission is working on the list of candidates nominated by
political parties for the 991 State Assembly constituencies as well as
the 68 Area Council Chairmen and Councillors for the Federal Capital
Territory, FCT.
“The full details will also be published for public information in line
with our timetable and schedule of activities. Unfortunately, we have
also witnessed some of the most acrimonious party primaries in our
recent history.
“Internal party democracy is still a source of concern to our electoral
progress. So far, the Commission has been joined in 396 pending actions
in various courts across the country arising from the conduct of party
primaries and nomination of candidates by political parties.
“We have similarly received 302 requests for Certified True Copies, CTC,
of documents, mainly our monitoring reports of party primaries and
copies of personal particulars of candidates.
“These requests are obviously a prelude to more court actions. In
addition, we have also received 52 petitions and protests from aggrieved
party aspirants.
“The implication of these challenges is that as we prepare for the
General Elections, we are also going to grapple with pre-election
litigations.
“Parties that fail to respect the democratic process in selecting
candidates during primary elections lose the moral right to complain
about secondary elections,” he added.
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