2019: ‘Only Seven Political Parties Have Submitted Lists Of Candidates’

…To publish names of candidates latest 25 October,
2018
….Parties who present unqualified candidates liable to N
500,000 fine

Only seven political parties have so far submitted the list of
their nominated candidates for the 2019 general elections, to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 24 hours to close
of submission date, it was learnt.

INEC had announced October 18th, 2018 as the last day for the
political parties to submit their list.

But as at 7 pm on Tuesday, only seven political parties have
complied with the rule out of 89 that informed the commission about
their primaries.

The parties include: Youth Party, Hope Party, National
Democratic Liberty Party, Change Advocacy Party, Peoples
Progressive Party, Peoples Democratic Movement and the Democratic
People’s Party.

Section 31 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, states that
every political party shall summit the list of their candidates not
later than 60 days before the fixed date for a general
election.

It states, “Every political party shall not later than 60 days
before the date appointed for a general election under the
provisions of this Act, submit to the Commission in the prescribed
forms the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor at
the elections, provided that the Commission shall not reject or
disqualify candidate (s) for any reason whatsoever.”

Section 31 (2) also further stated that each of the candidates
form be accompanied by an Affidavit sworn by the camp dictates at
the High Court, indicating that he has fulfilled all the
constitutional requirements for election into that office.

Findings also revealed that most of the political parties are
waiting for the last day which is tomorrow before submitting their
list.

According to a source at the Commission, some of the parties
were still trying to sort out some internal issues.

The source said, “As you can see, our officials have been mostly
idle since last week because only about seven political parties
have submitted their lists. Even some new parties that don’t have
up to 10 candidates across the country are also wasting time.

“Once it is a day to the deadline or the last day, you will see
how all of them will race down to this place, putting us under
undue pressure.”

Meanwhile, INEC is expected to publish the names and particulars
of all nominated candidates at the constituency where they intends
to contest the election within seven days of receipts of the list,
according to Section 31(3) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. To
this, the name of the Presidential candidates and their vice would
be published in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It states, ” The commission shall, within 7 days of the receipt
of the personal particulars of the candidates, publish same in the
constituency where the candidate intends to contest the
election.”

This, the Act pointed out is to make room for disclaimer, as
stated in Section 31(5) “A person who has reasonable grounds to
believe that any information given by a candidate in the affidavit
or any document submitted by that candidate is false may file suit
at the Federal High Court, High Court of a state or FCT against
such person seeking a declaration that the information contained in
the affidavit is false.”

Though, INEC has no power to disqualify any candidate, however,
if the court determines that any of the information contained in
the affidavit is false, the court shall disqualify the candidate
from contesting.

Besides, a political party which presents unqualified candidate
is liable to a fine of N500,000 according to Section 31(8) of the
electoral Act.