By-elections: Boot Party, ZLP did not submit nominations – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that the Boot Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), did not submit nomination for the outstanding by-elections scheduled for Oct. 31.

The commission disclosed this in a statement issued after its meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

The statement signed by Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said that 18 political parties gave notices of participation.

“The two political parties were among those that gave notice to participate, but the Boot Party conducted primaries but did not collect the Access Code for submission of the list of nominated candidates.

“The ZLP, on its part, conducted primaries, collected the Access Code for nomination of candidates, but made no submission.

“Two political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) submitted nominations for all the constituencies being contested.

“The remaining 14 political parties nominated candidates in some Senatorial Districts and some State Constituencies.’’

He recalled that INEC had fixed primaries for between Aug. 24 and Sept. 8, while the submission of the list of nominated candidates ended at 6 p.m. on Sept. 13.

Okoye noted that Sept. 17 was the last day for the publication of Form EC9 and the final list of candidates for the by-elections, adding that the list had been published at respective Senatorial Districts and State Constituencies.

He urged individuals, political parties and interest groups to visit the INEC offices in the Senatorial Districts and Constituencies.

He added that anyone, who had reasonable grounds to believe that any information given by a candidate in the affidavit and any other document submitted by that candidate was false, may file a suit at the Court.

“If the Court determines that any of the information contained in the affidavit or any document is false, the Court shall issue an order disqualifying the candidate from contesting the election,’’ he explained.

Okoye also disclosed that eight political parties had provided notices for primaries for the Dass State Constituency election.

“The primaries by the political parties are on-going until the Sept. 19,’’ he said.