INEC cites ‘court order’, drops Soludo’s name from Anambra guber candidates’ list

By Danlami Nmodu

Despite initial excitement by his supporters following his primary ‘victory’, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC did not name former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Prof. Charles Soludo of APGA among the list of Anambra State gubernatorial candidates.

The list of candidates released by INEC Friday named Chukwuma Michael Umeoji as the APGA candidate.The Commission left a remark “court order” on the table containing the list, as the apparent reason why Umeoji’s name appeared.(See table below).

Also, the PDP has no candidate on the released list due to court order, according to the table.

According to INEC, the Anambra State gubernatorial election is scheduled to hold on 6th November 2021.

A statement by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner & Chairman Information and Voter Education Friday said, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met yesterday, Thursday, 15^th July 2021 and among other things considered the List/personal particulars of candidates nominated by the various political parties for the Anambra State Governorship election scheduled to hold on 6^th November 2021.

“The Commission also considered and took cognizance of the Judgments/Court Orders served on it in relation to the primaries of the political parties and other processes leading to the election.

“In line with section 31(3) of the Electoral Act, 2010(as amended) the personal particulars of the candidates will be published in the Commissions Notice Board in Awka, Anambra State while the names of the candidates, their gender, party, age, qualification and the Commissions decision/ remarks are herein attached. 

“The Commission will continue to act in consonance with the Constitution and the law and will continue to obey the judgments and orders of courts served on it.”

See the table as released by INEC:

LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR ANAMBRA STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION SCHEDULED FOR 6^TH NOVEMBER 2021

By the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for Anambra State Governorship Election, the publication of the list of candidates takes place on 16^th July 2021. Here is the list of candidates for the election: