The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its Final list of Presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2023 general elections.
This is in line with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and item 8 of the timetable for the 2023 elections.
The list was released in a press conference signed by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye.
According to the commission, 18 political parties’ field presidential candidates and their running mates, while for legislative elections, 1,101 candidates are vying for 109 Senatorial seats and 3,122 candidates for Federal Constituencies, that is, House of Representatives seats.
A total of 4,223 candidates are contesting 469 legislative positions.
The commission added that 3,875 of the candidates are male, made up of 35 for Presidential and Vice Presidential, 1,008 for Senate and 2,832 for House of Representatives, while 381 females, comprising one for Presidential, 92 for Senate, and 288 for House of Representatives are contesting the elections.
INEC also noted that there are 11 Persons with Disability in the race.
The released list for Akwa Ibom Federal Constituencies contains the name of the state’s ex-Governor, Godswill Akpabio, under the All Progressives Congress’ Senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom North West.
The inclusion of Akpabio on INEC’s final list signals an end to the controversy surrounding his nomination by its party.
It is observed that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and his contender, Bashir Machina, miss out on the list as no senatorial candidate was listed for the APC in Yobe North.
The list for State elections would be published October 4.
The list can be downloaded here
