The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has listed Dr Francis Ottah Agbo to contest the 2023 election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency in Benue State.
The INEC included Dr Ottah Agbo’s name conspicuously on its website on Tuesday, thereby laying to rest the tussle between him and his opponent Barrister Aida Nath Ogwuche who was disqualified by the Court of Appeal for not resigning her appointment with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) before contesting the May 23, 2023, primary election of the party.
It would be recalled that the INEC had published the final list of candidates for Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives elections on 20 September 2022 and Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections on 4 October 2022 in accordance with the provisions of Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2002 and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Elections but that after the said publication, the Commission was served Orders of Court in respect of the nomination of candidates for Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly Elections.
It explained: “It is worthy of note that the list of candidates was amended in Amendment Nos. 1 & 2 published on the Commission’s website on 10 November and 22 December 2022, pursuant to Court Orders and Deaths.
“By virtue of the provision of Section 287 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Commission is bound to enforce the Order of Court on the Nomination of candidates by Political Parties in the affected Constituencies.
“Whereas the Commission published the details of Candidates as submitted by political parties on the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal (ICNP), some political parties forwarded complaints seeking correction of errors made in the details of their candidates.
“Consequent upon the above, the lists of candidates in respect of the attached Senatorial Districts and Federal Constituencies, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections are amended and published as Amendment No. 3 pursuant to the Orders of Court served on the Commission as at 30 January 2023, Deaths and requests for the correction of candidates’ details by political parties.”
With this matter resolved, Dr Ottah Agbo, who is the Chairman of the Narcotic Drugs Committee in the House, would start his campaign a few days from now, according to his media aide, Mr Andrew Agbese who quoted Dr Ottah Agbo calling on all Enone leaders, stakeholders, religious and traditional leaders and party faithful in the zone to join hands with him to win the next general elections.
He thanked his constituents for the iron-clad support for the liberation agenda, the statement said, adding that he advised the Enone people to be vigilant and roll up their sleeves for the task ahead.
