{"id":121286,"date":"2025-08-06T23:14:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T22:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=121286"},"modified":"2025-08-06T23:14:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T22:14:23","slug":"edo-bye-elections-inec-confirms-nine-parties-participation-disqualifies-lp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/edo-bye-elections-inec-confirms-nine-parties-participation-disqualifies-lp\/","title":{"rendered":"Edo Bye-Elections: INEC Confirms Nine Parties’ Participation, Disqualifies LP\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Tracy Moses<\/div>\n
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that nine political parties will be on the ballot for the upcoming Edo State Bye-Elections, despite 14 parties initially expressing interest. The Labour Party (LP) was notably excluded from the process.<\/div>\n
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The elections are scheduled to fill the vacant positions in Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency, which became open after Hon. Dennis Idahosa assumed office as Deputy Governor, and Senator Monday Okpebholo as Governor of Edo State.<\/div>\n
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Briefing journalists on Wednesday, the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Anugbum Onuoha, disclosed that although 14 parties had formally indicated their intention to participate in the elections, only nine proceeded to conduct valid primaries, which were duly monitored by INEC officials.<\/div>\n
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The qualified parties include: Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).<\/div>\n
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According to Prof. Onuoha, five of the parties that submitted notifications of intent failed to organize primaries. INEC officials, who were deployed to monitor the events at the provided addresses, met empty or locked offices.<\/div>\n
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“Fourteen political parties indicated interest in participating. But when we went to monitor the primaries, we found that some of the offices were locked. Parties like Accord, BOOT Party, National Rescue Movement (NRM), and Young Progressive Party (YPP) failed to show up,” Onuoha explained.<\/div>\n
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He also noted that the Labour Party did not officially notify INEC of its intention to contest in the elections, meaning no primary election was monitored or recognized.<\/div>\n
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“Labour Party did not express interest, so it is not part of the process,” he added.<\/div>\n
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Prof. Onuoha further expressed concern over the large number of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the seven local government areas where the elections will hold. He revealed that 101,617 PVCs remain unclaimed.<\/div>\n
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Out of the 719,504 persons who registered to vote, only 617,887 have successfully picked up their cards, he said.<\/div>\n
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The REC assured that INEC is fully prepared to deliver credible and transparent bye-elections. He urged eligible voters in the affected constituencies to come out in large numbers to vote for candidates of their choice.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAll necessary logistics have been put in place to ensure a smooth process. We call on residents to participate actively and peacefully,\u201d he concluded.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n