At least 313 candidates from 29 political parties will participate in today’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Adamawa state.
Mr Kashim Gaidam, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said on Friday that 29 candidates would feature in the governorship poll, while 284 candidates would slug it out for the 24 out of 25 state House of Assembly seats.
The fierce contest in the governorship election is expected from the incumbent Governor Muhammed Bindow of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Adamawa Assembly Speaker and acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), serving Senator of Adamawa Central Senatorial District who defected from APC to African Democratic Congress (ADC); Abdul-Azeez Nyako, and a former House of Representatives member for Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency, Chief Emmanuel Bello, who is the candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Among the 29 contestants for governorship seat are four women; Lami Musa of People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN), Na’ama Bulama of Progressive People Alliance (PPA), Rukayya Audu of Action People’s Party (APP) and Elizabeth Isa of Change Advocacy Party (CAP).
This is the highest number of governorship candidates ever recorded in Adamawa.
25 women are among the 284 candidates for the legislative poll.
Yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponed the House of Assembly Election for the Nasarawa/Binyeri State Constituency of Adamawa.
The postponement followed the death of a member of the assembly, who was APC candidate in today’s election.
The late Adamu Kwanate, until his death on Wednesday, was the member representing the constituency.
The deceased was said to have collapsed while campaigning for his re-election, and died later in an hospital in Yola.
The INEC REC, Gaidam, said that the postponement would allow APC and people of the constituency to find a replacement.
“We received a letter from the party and the House of Assembly regarding the death of the candidate and we have replied, giving them one week to find a replacement.
“We will communicate their replacement to the headquarters to fix a new date for the election,” Gaidam said.
Meanwhile, the police command in Adamawa has announced a temporary restriction of vehicular movement across the state for today’s elections.
A statement by the command’s spokesman, SP Othman Abubakar, warned that only vehicles on election duties and essential services would be allowed to move around.
“There will be a temporary restriction of vehicular, motorcycle and tricycles (Keke-NAPEP) movement in all the 21 local government areas of the state, from 0600 hrs to 1800 hrs.
“Members of the public are hereby warned to adhere strictly to this directive, as the police will not hesitate to clamp down on anyone who fails to comply,” Abubakar said.
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