The senator representing Kaduna Central senatorial district in the National Assembly, Sen. Shehu Sani, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt stricter measures to prevent the practice of candidates withdrawing on the eve of elections.
Sani, a Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) senator, made this known in a tweet on Friday.
Recall that several candidates withdrew before the February 23 presidential election.
Some of the presidential candidates that withdraw from the race were Obiageli Ezekwesili (ACPN), Eunice Atuejide (NIP), and Ahmed Buhari (SNP).
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) also withdrew from the race and backed eventual winner, President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, INEC said it did not recognise the withdrawals.
“According to the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 General Elections, the last day for withdrawal by candidates or replacement of withdrawn candidates by political parties was 17th November, 2018 for Presidential and National Assembly Elections,” Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, said in reaction to Ezekwesili’s withdrawal in January.
But Sani condemned the situation where candidates withdraw on election eve after huge resources have been expended to process their papers and include them on the ballot paper.
The senator called for an end to the practice.
He said, “The practice of candidates for elective office withdrawing on the eve of an election after lots of resources has been spent to process their papers and include them in the ballot paper must end,or must attract reasonable financial sanctions to prevent such.”
See tweet:
The Practice of candidates for elective office withdrawing on the eve of an election after lots of resources has been spent to process their papers and include them in the ballot paper must end,or must attract reasonable financial sanctions to prevent such.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) March 8, 2019
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