The name of Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, on Saturday, was conspicuously absent from the list of candidates for the upcoming September 21 governorship election, as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The list, which features candidates from 17 political parties, was publicly displayed at the INEC state office in Benin City and across all 18 local government area offices.
Key figures such as Ighodalo Asuerinme of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okpebholo Monday of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) were included in the list of contenders.
Others are Boot Party (BP), Osirame Edeipo; Accord party (AP), Enabulele Bright; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obazele Paul Agbone, People Redemption Party (PRP), Key Ndidi and Young Progressive Party (YPP),Okungbowa Paul Ovbokhan.
The list also showed that Mr Uwaifo Osaro is the governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had Aner Abdullai Aliu. New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) had Azena Azemhe Friday and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) had Osifo Isiah as its candidate.
Others are the All People Movement (APM), Ugiagbe Odaro Syvelster; All Peoples Party (APP), Areleogbe Amos Osalumese; Action Democratic Party (ADP), Akhime kingson Afere; African Action Congress (AAC) Udoh Obersifo David and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena.
The state INEC head of voters education and publicity, Timidi Wariowei, said that the pasting of the particulars was in line with the electoral law, noting that parties and the public can now view the particulars of the candidates and their running mates.
