2019: INEC raises alarm, says parties nominate underage for presidential election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accused some political parties of submitting underage for the presidential election, thereby running foul of the electoral law, it was learnt.
This is as the commission confirmed that at the end of the period for the substitution and withdrawal of candidates for the Presidential election, a total of seventy-three (73) political parties have now filed their nominations.
The not too young to run law set the thirty-five age for the president and Vice President.
The bill was passed by the National Assembly last year to alter Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the constitution. It was to reduce the age qualification for president from 40 to 30; governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu who disclosed this yesterday at a capacity building for reporter in Abuja revealed that some parties were discovered to have nominated names of candidates below the mandatory age of thirty-five years for presidential and vice presidential candidates.
The commission however noted that the attention of the parties concerned have been drawn to the breach of the constitutional requirement.
He said: ”A few parties have nominated candidates below the mandatory age of thirty-five (35) years for as Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. We have drawn the attention of the parties concerned to the breach of the constitutional requirement ahead of the publication of the full list of presidential and vice presidential candidates for the 2019 General Elections.”
On the number of political parties that filed their nominations for the presidential election, “At the end of the period for the substitution and withdrawal of candidates for the Presidential election, a total of seventy-three (73) political parties have now filed their nominations.
For National Assembly elections, he said a total of 1,848 candidates are vying for the 109 senatorial seats, while 4,635 candidates for the House of Representatives.
The breakdown shows that 1,615 male and 233 female are contesting for the senatorial seats while 4,066 male and 569 female are competing for the 360 seats in the House of Representatives.
As for State elections, a total of 1,068 candidates are contesting for 29 governorship positions, while work is still going on for the 991 States Assembly as well as the 68 Area Council chairmen and counsellors for the Federal Capital Territory.
The breakdown for the governorship list shows 980 male and 88 female are contesting for 29 Governorship positions with 805 male and 263 female Deputy Governorship candidates.
Source: The Nation
