The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate’s nomination for the Kogi election was invalid.
INEC’s National Commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC) Barr. Festus Okoye, who spoke yesterday in Lokoja, said 23 political parties will be on the ballot for the Kogi election.
He said the nominations by the SDP for both Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections were not valid on the ground of fielding underage candidates.
According to him, the SDP fielded a-34-year old Bashir Mohammed as the deputy governorship candidate for Kogi, saying the law stipulates 35 years as minimum age for the office of governor.
He clarified that apart from SDP, there were other political parties whose nominations were invalidated on grounds of fielding underage candidates.
Okoye, however, said that as a law-abiding body, the commission would not hesitate to list the SDP and its candidate, Natasha Akpoti, on the ballot for the Kogi election if the court ruled so.
He urged journalists and media organisations to be accurate, objective and balanced in their reportage before, during and after the elections.
