The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday, released a provisional list of 17 candidates submitted by the nation’s registered political parties ahead of the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State.
The commission had, on Tuesday, said that 17 of the 18 registered parties have conducted their primaries for the purposes of nominating candidates for the election.
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The INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, told Daily Trust in an interview that the Boot Party is the only party that neither notify INEC of its plan to conduct the primary nor conduct any primary to nominate a candidate for the Ondo governorship election.
The election will take place in all of the state’s 18 local government areas with over 1.8 million registered voters.
The incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, 64, is gunning for a second term in office on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
His main challenger is expected to be 59-year-old Eyitayo Jegede, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was the runner-up in the 2016 election.
On the list, there are Rotimi Adeleye Akindejoye, the candidate of the Accord party as well as Joshua Oluwafemi Adewole of the Action Alliance (AA).
Other candidates are; Adeleye Adekunle Peter, African Action Congress (AAC); Adelegan Adedapo Oluwaseyi, African Democratic Congress (ADC); Martin Kunle Olateru-Olagbegi, Action Democratic Party (ADP); Olowoloba Dele, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); and Aminu Akeem Olanrewaju, Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Also there are; Adesanya Olaoluwa, Action Peoples Party (APP); Okunade Taiwo, Labour Party (LP); Ojajuni Joseph Eniola, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Funmilayo Jenyo Ataunoko, National Rescue Movement (NRM); and Babatunde Francis Alli, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
The rest are; Fasua Peter Oyeleye, Social Democratic Party (SDP); Ojon Dotun, Young Progressive Party (YPP); and Benjamin Jairus Olarotimi, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
INEC also said that parties have until August 18 to withdraw or replace a candidate on the ballot before it releases a final list for the public.