[JUST IN] Anambra poll: INEC lists Soludo as APGA candidate, excludes PDP

The final list of candidates that would contest the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November 6 would be published on October 7, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said on Thursday.

However, in a list released on Thursday, the commission replaced Michael Umeoji with Chukwuma Soludo as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

The Peoples Democratic Party is still excluded from the list of cleared candidates for the poll.

This was the outcome of its meeting in which a number of issues including the nomination of candidates for the was deliberated upon.

INEC National Commissioner and chairman (Information and Voter Education Committee), Festus Okoye, said this in a statement in Abuja.

He said, “The commission met today (Thursday August 19 202) and deliberated on a number of issues, including the nomination of candidates for the Anambra Governorship election holding on November 6 2021.

“The timetable and schedule of activities approved by the commission on January 18 2021 provides for the withdrawal/substitution of candidates in line with Sec. 35 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

“Accordingly, by the deadline of July 30 2021 fixed by the commission, seven (7) governorship and eleven (11) deputy governorship candidates were substituted by eleven (11) out of the eighteen (18) political parties.

“Similarly, the commission was served with the judgement of the Court of Appeal (Kano Division) which set aside the judgement of the High Court of Jigawa State on the leadership of APGA and the nomination of its candidates for the Anambra Governorship election.

“The list of substitute candidates is attached to this Press Release. It has also been published on the commission’s website.

“However, the final list of candidates will be published on October 7 2021 as provided in the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.”