INEC spokesman, Festus Okoye said despite the expulsion threat against the G-5 governors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), there will be no negative impact on any of their candidacy for the 2023 general elections.
“All the candidates that their names have been submitted will remain candidates until elections are over,” Mr Okoye explained to The Gazette ahead of the 2023 elections.
Mr. Okoye stated that with only eight weeks left until elections, no political party should be raising substitutions for any candidate as this is not a power bestowed upon them.
Also read: 2023: INEC’ll print 186m Ballot papers for Presidential election – Okoye
“No political party can substitute any candidate,” he affirmed, further emphasizing that “they will remain the candidates of the political party that nominated them.”
The group of G-5 governors, which consists of Nyesom Wike, Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, had rebelled against the leadership of Iyorchia Ayu due to allegations of corruption and failure to abide by his promise to resign should the PDP presidential candidate comes from the North.
With the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as its flag-bearer, Mr Ayu was expected to fulfill his promise while speculations emerged that any governor engaging in anti-party activities may lose their tickets at the polls.
But INEC’s decision to recognize all submitted names put an end to such rumours.
