Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shifted the deadline for the submission of political parties’ candidates’ list for governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from December 25 to December 26, 2014.
The commission, however, declined to comment on the number of political parties which had submitted or yet to summit the list bearing the names of their Presidential and National Assembly candidates.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, stated this during an interview with journalists in his office on Thursday evening in Abuja.
He said the commission shifted the date because it falls on Christmas Day.
The commission, however, hinted that there was no extension for the December 18 (Thursday’s) deadline set for the submission of forms for Presidential and National Assembly candidates.
It should be recalled that prospective candidates for the Presidency and National Assembly in the 2015 general elections had Thursday (yesterday) as the last day for the submission of Forms CF001 and CF002 at INEC headquarters.
It is in line with Section 31(c) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which provides for not later than 60 days before election.
But Idowu said there would be no submission opportunity for any political party that fails to submit by the set deadline, which was 8pm of December 18, 2014.
He said initially the commission intended to close the submission by 6pm on Thursday, but for some of the political parties that pleaded that the deadline be moved to 12 midnight.
He said, “For the Presidential and National Assemblies elections, the deadline is Thursday, December 18 (yesterday) by 8 p.m. for the submission of form CF001 and CF002.’’
“Even by tomorrow (Friday), you may not likely get the information from INEC because, the law provides that what is being submitted today must be officially published on December 25.
“It also provides that whatever names submitted for governorship and state Houses of Assembly election, on December 26, 2014, should be officially published on the January 1, 2015.’’
Idowu added that there was a constitutional provision for the withdrawal of candidates, adding that, “but the person who is nominated to INEC has to write and sign that he or she is withdrawing from this race. When he or she does that, the party can bring another name within the stipulated time.” – Punch.
