Photo: President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari

  Commission redeploys 37 RECs

Chuks Okocha in Abuja 
With today being the deadline for the substitution of candidates for the presidential election, the stage has been set for President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari, among other presidential candidates, to square up against one another, as their political parties can no longer replace them as their parties’ standard-bearers.

With this, the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) would print their names on the ballot papers, whether or not any of them decides to opt out of the presidential election.

The same also applies to candidates vying for National Assembly posts across the country.

However, the governorship and state assembly aspirants have up till January 13 to either withdraw or have their parties submit substitutes to INEC in their place.

The presidential and National Assembly elections are billed to hold on February 14 while that of the governorship and state assembly will hold on February 28.

According to the electoral guidelines released by INEC, today is the last day for withdrawal of candidates and replacement of withdrawn candidates by political parties.

This is in accordance with Section 35 of the Electoral Act 2010, which provides for political parties to make up their minds on their candidates not later than 45 days before the election.

Besides Jonathan and Buhari, other presidential candidates include Tunde Anifowose-Kelani who will be contesting on the Action Alliance platform; Prof. Comfort Oluremi Sonaiya - Kowa Party; Chief Chekwas Okorie - United Progressives Party; and Chief Martin Onovo - and National Conscience Party.

Others are Dr. Ibrahim Nani - African Democratic Congress; Godson Okoye - United Democratic Party; Rafiu Salau - Alliance for Democracy; Kelvin Alagoa - Peoples Party of Nigeria.

The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria will be fielding Alhaji Ganiyu Oseni; African Peoples Alliance, Alhaji Adebayo Ayeni; and Hope Democratic Party, Ambrose Owuru.

This comes as INEC has redeployed its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the 2015 general election.

In a letter dated 24th December 2014 and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, the RECs were directed to conclude all hand over and taking over formalities by Wednesday, 31st December, 2014.

Their redeployment is as follows:

S/N     NAME    STATE OF ORIGIN NEW POSTING
01      Prof. O.E. Onukaogu     Abia    Enugu
02      Prof. Tukur Sa’ad       Adamawa Bauchi
03      Ahmed Makama    Bauchi  Taraba
04      Mike Igini      Delta   Edo
05      Selina Omagha Oko       Ebonyi  Abia
06      Edwin Offor Nwatarali   Enugu   Anambra
07      Sadiq Abubakar Musa     Kaduna  Sokoto
08      Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa   Kano    Kebbi
09      Hussaini Ahmed Mahuta   Katsina Kaduna
10      Abubakar Umar Garba Wara        Kebbi   Zamfara
11      Emmanuel Onucheyo       Kogi    Kwara
12      Rufus O. Akeju  Lagos   Oyo
13      Abdullahi Umar Danyaya  Niger   Nasarawa
14      Timothy A. Ibitoye      Osun    Ogun
15      A.L. Ogunmola   Oyo     Osun
16      Barito Lenusikpugi Kphagih      Rivers  Bayelsa
17      Haliru A. Tambuwal      Sokoto  Jigawa
18      Kassim Gana Geidam      Yobe    Gombe
19      Ibrahim Bagobiri Marafa Zamfara Katsina
20      Aniedi Ikoiwak  Akwa-Ibom       Delta
21      Habu Zarma      Gombe   Yobe
22      Akin Orebiyi    Ogun    Lagos
23      Hussaini Halilu Pai     FCT     Kogi
24      Kwanga Godwin Mbatsavbee        Benue   Plateau
25      Sylvester Okey Ezeani   Anambra Cross River
26      Minkaila Abdullahi      Jigawa  Kano
27      Lawrence Azubuike       Imo     Ebonyi
28      Sam Olugbadebo Olumekun Ondo    Ekiti
29      Istifanus Ishaku Dafwang        Plateau Benue
30      Gesila Khan     Bayelsa River
31      Samuel Madaki   Taraba  Borno
32      Gabriel Ada     Cross River     Imo
33      Jacob Shekwonudu Jatau  Nasarawa        FCT
34      Baba Abba Yusuf Borno   Adamawa
35      Segun Agbaje    Ekiti   Ondo
36      Nasir Ayilara   Kwara   Niger
37      Austine Okojie  Edo     Akwa-Ibom


Source: ThisDay