We haven’t released new list of candidates for 2023 poll – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said it has not released any new final lists of candidates for the 2023 general election as reported by a section of the social media.

According to INEC, the final list of candidates for the 2023 general election was published at least 150 days before the day of election in compliance with the provision of Sec. 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, who made the clarifications in a statement, urged political parties, litigants and the public to be guided accordingly.

“The attention of the commission has been drawn to reports widely circulated by a section of the media on Monday, January 9, 2023, that the final list of candidates was released on our website on Sunday, January 8, 2023.

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“The commission wishes to state categorically that no new publication of the final list of candidates was released as reported. The public should therefore discountenance the story.

“For the record, the final list of candidates for the 2023 general election was published at least 150 days before the day of election in compliance with the provision of Sec. 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“Accordingly, the final list for presidential and national assembly elections was published on September 20, 2022 while that of governorship and state assembly elections was published two weeks later on October 4, 2022.

“These are clearly indicated as item 8 on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election released by the commission on February 26, 2022.

“There cannot be a final list of candidates with just 46 days to the general election except for names published as substitutions for candidates nominated earlier in compliance with court order. Moreover, some of the candidates that allegedly made the new “final” list are still in court and the matter is therefore sub-judice,” INEC said in the statement.