Rep Ottah Agbo Makes INEC Final List of Recognised Candidates

…To Storm Constituency With Earthshaking Campaign

The Honourable Member representing Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency and Chairman of the Narcotic Drugs Committee, Dr Francis Ottah Agbo, has made the final list of candidates to contest the February 25, 2023, elections.

A statement released by INEC on its website on Tuesday, showed Dr. Ottah Agbo’s name conspicuously displayed to replace that of 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.

The Commission recalled that it 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 error 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 correction of candidates’ details by political parties.”

With the resolution of the contestation over who will represent the party on the ballot papers for the Ado/Ogbadibo/ Okpokwu Federal Constituency seat in the February 25 elections in his favour, Dr. Ottah Agbo is billed to kick-start his campaign in a few days from now.

A statement by his Media Adviser, Mr Andrew Agbese quoted Dr. Ottah Agbo to have called 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.

While thanking his constituents for the iron-clad support for the Liberation agenda, the statement further said the Give Back / Give Back Parliamentarian, popularly called the Ozigizaga, also enjoined the Enone people to be vigilant and roll up their sleeves for the task ahead.