Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said only two conditions can a VP nominee be changed in the 2023 general election.
Newsonline reports that INEC gave the condition followine the arrangement of placeholder vice presidential candidates submitted by political parties.
Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, submitted Doyin Okupe as placeholder vice-presidential candidate, while Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Lagos State governor, presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, submitted Ibrahim Masari, as placeholder running mate.
Until the time of filling this report, the twopolitical parties, Labour Party and All progressive Congress and their presidential candidates are still in search of their running mates.
INEC’s Commissioner on Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, while addressing the issue of placeholder running mates filled by poltitcal parties on Channels Television’s programme, on Friday said, until the political parties fulfill the conditions for substituting running mates, INEC will not recognize names other than the ones submitted.
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“A political party cannot substitute a nominated candidate, except in two instances: if the nominated candidate dies. Or if the nominated candidate withdraws from the race.
“Any withdrawal must be accompanied by a letter written by the nominated candidate to the political party, indicating he has withdrawn from the race, along with a sworn affidavit sworn.
“The party will now forward same to INEC. And these are the documents of withdrawal, which will state who the replacements are.
“The issue of withdrawal is at the discretion of the nominated candidate and no one else.”
Newsonline had reported that to be beat the INEC deadline June 17, for the submission of presidential and vice-presidential candidates by political parties ahead of the 2023 general election, parties submitted running mates they designated as placeholder VPs.
