A picture of the presidential candidates for the April 9 election emerged yesterday.
Eighteen candidates have so far cleared the hurdle to contest the election, sources told The Nation.
More candidates are likely to emerge before the expiration of the deadline for substitution.
The deadline, which was expected to end yesterday, has been extended to February 28.
The candidates belong to 18 of the 63 parties.
PARTY CANDIDATE RUNNING MATE
•Hope Democratic Party Ambrose Awuru Ibrahim Abdullahi
•National Conscience Party Dele Momodu Yunusa Tanko
•United National Party for Development Ebiti Ndok Galadima Samari
•People’s Democratic Party Goodluck Jonathan Mohammed Sambo
•All Nigeria People’s Party Ibrahim Shekarau John Odigie-Oyegun
•Better Nigeria Progressive Party Iheanyichukwu Nnaji Kadijat Abubakar
•People for Democratic Change Mahmud Waziri Clement Eze
•Congress for Progressive Change Muhammadu Buhari Tunde Bakare
•Action Congress of Nigeria Nuhu Ribadu Sunny Ugochukwu
•Social Democratic Mega Party Pat Utomi Lawal Funtua
•African Democratic Peter Nwangwu Mani Ibrahim Ahmad
Twelve of them are Southerners; six are from the North.
They are Akpona Solomon(National Majority Democratic Party); Ambrose Awuru (Hope Democratic Party); Chris Nwaokobia (Liberal Democratic Party); Chris Okotie (Fresh Democratic Party); Dele Momodu (National Conscience Party); Ebiti Ndok (United National Party for Development); Goodluck Jonathan (Peoples Democratic Party); Ibrahim Shekarau (All Nigeria Peoples Party); Iheanyichukwu Nnaji (Better Nigeria Progressive Party); John Dara (National Transformation Party); Mahmud Waziri (People for Democratic Change); Muhammadu Buhari (Congress for Progressive Change).
Nuhu Ribadu (Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); Nwadike Chikezie (Peoples Mandate Party); Pat Utomi (Social Democratic Mega Party); Peter Nwangwu (African Democratic Congress); Rasheed Shitta-Bey (Mega Progressive Peoples Party) and Yahaya Ndu (African Renaissance Party).
Twenty-one parties, led by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA, have opted for a working alliance with Jonathan.
Chief Press Secretary to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Kayode Idowu, said: “The law provides for how the parties are to nominate candidates for general elections. The law does not make it compulsory that all the parties must field presidential candidates.”
“Definitely, we are looking forward to a smooth and tight voting process during the presidential election.”
A top source in INEC said the commission was empowered by Section 44 of the Electoral Act to determine the nature of the ballot papers.
Section 44(1) says: “The commission shall prescribe the format of the ballot papers, which Format of ballot shall include the symbol adopted by the political party of the candidate and such other information as it may require.”
INEC yesterday extended the date for substitution of parties’ candidates.
The exercise was expected to end yesterday.
In a letter to the parties, INEC’s Director of Political Parties Monitoring and Liaison, Regina Omo-Agege, said pressures on INEC to compromise its position on substitution were needless.
“I am directed to remind all political parties that the last date for withdrawal by candidate(s) and replacement of withdrawn candidate(s) and the close of nominations by political parties remain as follows: – National Assembly – February 4; Presidential – February 21; Governorship and State Assembly – February 28. Please be guided appropriately,” she said.
But under INEC’s timetable released last November, yesterday was fixed for the last day for substitution.
According to the time table: “The last day for withdrawal by candidates/replacement of withdrawn candidates by political parties for all election is February 14”.
The timetable and guidelines signed by the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, quoted Section 35(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 to back the schedule.
With yesterday’s extension, other activities on the timetable might also have been adjusted.
Wherea, the timetable gave February 21 as the date for publication of personal particulars of substituted candidates for all elections, the new interpretation of the Electoral Act implies that only the particulars of National Assembly candidates will be published that date. Presidential candidates will have their particulars published on February 28, and governorship/state assemblies candidates on March 7.
The parties also have February 21, 28 and March 7 as final dates for submission of nomination forms for candidates for the elections.