The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the candidacy of the G-5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would remain intact even if they are expelled by the party.
Speaking in an interview with Peoples Gazette, Festus Okoye, the spokesperson of the commission, said the candidacy of the warring governors will not in any way be adversely affected at the 2023 general elections if they’re shown the door by the party.
“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.
The INEC spokesperson stated that a political party lacks the power to substitute any candidate, given that the polls are barely eight weeks away.
“No political party can substitute any candidate,” Mr Okoye stressed, adding that “they will remain the candidates of the political party that nominated them.”
The G-5 governors are Governors Nyesom Wike, Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The governors revolted against the leadership of Iyorchia Ayu, the PDP national chairman. They asked him to resign over allegations of corruption and failure to honour his own words, where he reportedly promised to resign if the PDP’s presidential candidate emerged from the North.