The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said its June 18, 2022 date for the conduct of Governorship election in Ekiti State remains sacrosanct.

INEC in a statement said it has since pasted Notice of the Election at its Secretariat in the South West state.

It noted that its action was in compliance with Section 30 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

The section read in part: “The Commission shall, not later than 90 days before the day appointed for holding of an election under this Act, publish a notice in each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory- (a) Stating the date of the election, and (b) appointing the place at which nomination papers are to be delivered. (2) The notice shall be published in each constituency in respect of which an election is to be held. (3) In the case of a by-election, the Commission shall, not later than 14 days before the date appointed for the election, publish a notice stating the date of the election.”

The tenure of the sitting governor is expected to terminate on October 15, 2022.

The statement further revealed that “By virtue of Provisions of Section 178(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 25(7) and 8 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) the earliest date for the election into the office of Governor, Ekiti State shall be 18 May, 2022 and the latest date for the election shall be 15 September, 2022.”

According to the schedule of activities for the election already in the public domain, the last day for withdrawal by a candidate(s) /replacement of withdrawn candidate(s) by political parties is February 25, while publication of a final list of candidates is May 19, 2022. The last day for submission of names of polling agents is June 3, 2022, ahead of June 18 date for the election.

(Nigerian Tribune)