Names of four women are among the list of 28 candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the governorship election in Adamawa in 2019.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two other women have also been cleared by INEC to run for the position of deputy governor.
The women cleared to run for governor are: Lami Musa of People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN), Na’ama Bulama of Progressive People Alliance (PPA), Rukayya Audu of Action People’s Party (APP) and Elizabeth Isa of Change Advocacy Party (CAP).
Those cleared to run for the position of deputy governor are: Hadiza Mohammed of Democratic Alternative (DA) and Rashida Balarabe of Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD).
Other candidates for the governorship seat are incumbent Gov. Muhammed Bindow of All progressives Congress (APC) and former Adamawa Assembly Speaker and acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri who is Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer.
Others are serving Senator of Adamawa Central Senatorial District who defected from APC to African Democratic Congress (ADC), Abdul-Azeez Nyako is the candidate of ADC, while former House of Representatives member for Gombi/Hong federal constituency is the candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Bappare Umaru, an Islamic Cleric who is the Imam of Jamaatul Nasril Islam (JNI) Friday Mosque in Jimeta area of Yola town, is the candidate of KOWA party and a Christian cleric, Rev. Eric Theman is the candidate of MRDD.
NAN reports that this is the highest number of governorship candidates ever recorded in Adamawa since inception of democracy, a development many say is a positive one and a pointer that people are becoming more interested in participating in politics.
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