Abuja – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 17, 2022, as the deadline for the submission of running mates by presidential camdidates of the various parties contesting the 2023 election.
The INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu gave the directive during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja on Thursday.
He announced that the dedicated portal for the submission of the list of candidates for national elections will automatically shut down at 6.00 pm (1800hrs) on Friday 17th June 2022.
While a majority of the political parties in the country have elected their presidential candidates for the forthcoming general election, many are still battling to pick their running mates.
The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had a week earlier, elected Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate.
The Labour Party also has former Anambra State Governor, Dr Peter Obi, as its candidate.
Other presidential candidates are; Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim (YPP); Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP); Omoyele Sowore (AAC); Prince Adewole Adebayo (SDP) and Kola Abiola (PRP).
Meanwhile, the presidential candidates are yet to pick their running mates for the 2023 presidential election.
It was gathered that the PDP, on Thursday stepped up moves to choose a running mate for its presidential candidate, Atiku.
The PDP has set up a committee comprising its governors, the National Working Committee and the Board of Trustees members as well as former governors with the mandate of picking its vice-presidential candidate.
It was gathered that the committee had met already and had begun discussion on making either the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, or his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa as the Vice-Presidential candidate of the party.
On the other hand, Tinubu is tipped to pick a northerner as his running mate.
Although there is disquiet in the fold of the party as regards a running mate presently, it was gathered that Tinubu, in the coming days will hold a meeting with the northern governors on the matter.
Speaking after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the state house on Thursday, Tinubu was asked to divulge where he was leaning towards.
In response, he said: “I won’t tell you that. That is my right, it’s in my pocketbook.”
