The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had shifted the deadline for the submission of governorship and house of assembly candidates’ forms from Dec. 25 to Dec. 26.
The Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, who made this known on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen, said the shift in date became necessary because Dec. 25 was Christmas day.
He, however, said that there was no extension in the Dec. 18, deadline set for the submission of Presidential and the National Assembly forms.
Idowu said that there would be no opportunity for any political party that failed to submit its candidates’ forms at 8 p.m. on the last day declared for submission.
He explained that the commission initially intended to close submission of forms at 6 p.m. but that some of the political parties wanted it to be shifted to 12 midnight.
“But at a meeting on Monday, the commission and the political parties eventually settled for 8 p.m. deadline.
“For the presidential and National Assemblies elections, deadline is Wednesday Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. for the submission of form CF001 and CF002,” he said.
He, however, declined comment on the number of political parties that had submitted their presidential candidates’ forms ahead of the deadline, stating that list of the presidential and national assembly candidates would be published on Dec. 25 as provided by the law.
Similarly, he said that names submitted for governorship and house of assembly election, with Dec. 26 as deadline, would be officially published on Jan. 1, 2015.
He explained that there was a constitutional provision for the withdrawal of candidates but that the candidate must write and sign that he or she was withdrawing from this race.
“When he or she does that, the party can bring another name within the stipulated time,” he said.
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