Delta Re-Run: INEC Rules Out Fresh Candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says that political parties contesting in the Delta re-run cannot field new candidates unless in the event of the death of a former candidate.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta, Dr Gabriel Adah, dropped the hint on Wednesday, in Asaba, in an interview with newsmen.

Adah said there would be no primaries for the re-run election, as the previous primaries held in 2007 to produce candidates were still valid. 

He said, “We assume that the processes that produced the candidates had already been completed, but in the event of death of a candidate, INEC will allow the party to field a new candidate.” 

The REC also said that the parties could not field new candidates as a result of the resignation from the parties of their former candidates in the April 2007 gubernatorial elections.

He, however, promised that INEC would be transparent in its dealings with the political parties and called for cooperation from the parties.

Adah explained that INEC would be guided by law in carrying out its responsibilities to both the political parties and the electorates.

He also said that the old voters’ register would be used to conduct the re-run election within the stipulated time given by the court.

He said that INEC would strive to correct the defects in the old register before the re-run election, so as not to disenfranchise some voters.

Adah, who blamed the problems of INEC in previous elections on the adhoc staff, said that the commission had decided to use youth corps members in the forthcoming election to avoid problems.

He emphasised that it would not be business as usual, as snatching of ballot boxes and faking of election results would not be tollerated by the commission.

“The Delta re-run election is a test case for the new INEC and the commission cannot afford to fail Nigerians. We will ensure you that your votes will count as we are committed to one man one vote,’’ he said. On the forthcoming general elections, Adah said that the commission would take special interest in the internal democracy of the various political parties.

He said that the commission had decided it would monitor and observe all primaries conducted by the various political parties.

He appealed to stakeholders to ensure that the exercise would be free of violence, as there would be no breach of security during the elections.