[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Deputy Speaker of Edo state House of Assembly Mr. Yekini Idiaye and four other lawmakers have declared their support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. The lawmakers are among the 10 that were inaugurated in July 2019 while 14 others remain yet to be inaugurated.
According to the lawmakers, their decision is to remain in the APC on whose platform they were elected. They insist on not joining the state governor, Godwin Obaseki in his new party, the PDP.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he lawmakers also alleged that the state executive led by governor Obaseki has made the legislature irrelevant and unable to perform its functions as enshrined in the constitution.
Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the final list of candidates in the poll.
INEC announced that 14 candidates will contest in the election.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, revealed that the electoral umpire has displayed the final list of candidates at its offices in Benin City, the state capital, and the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
He explained that the action of INEC was in compliance with its Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election and in accordance with Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
“By Section 35 of the Electoral Act and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities of the Commission, the withdrawal and substitution of candidates for the Edo Governorship election ended on 13th July 2020,” the INEC national commissioner stated.
He added, “With the publication of the final list of candidates, no political party can withdraw or substitute any of the nominated candidates or tamper with the list and particulars of the candidates in a manner inconsistent with the intendment of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.”
