INEC publishes list of 2023 candidates, Akpabio, Lawan missing

The names of Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and a former Minister, Godswill Akpabio, were missing on the list of candidates nominated by political parties for the 2023 general elections.

Theeditorial.ng gathered that the Independent National Electoral Commission published the candidates’ details on Friday.

Both Akpabio and Lawan contested the presidential primaries of the ruling party but lost to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

While Akpabio had stepped down for Tinubu, Lawan went into the contest where he emerged fourth.

Both men had tried to clinch the senate ticket as a fall back option but they met a brick wall.

In the case of Lawan, Barrister Bashir Machina, who won the APC primary in Yobe East, vowed not to step down for the Senate President.

In Akwa Ibom, the primaries where DIG Ekpom Udom (retd.) won was cancelled while a fresh one was conducted and Akpabio was declared winner.

The APC leadership had subsequently sent the names of Lawan and Akpabio to INEC as senatorial candidates for 2023, but the commission omitted their names when it published the 2023 candidates’ list.

The candidates’ details published included those of presidential candidates, their running mates as well as National Assembly candidates.

The information included that of All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Mr Ibrahim Masari.

The list also included the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

Also on the list were the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi and his running mate, Dr. Doyin Okupe; the presidential candidate of Action Peoples Party, Osita Nnadi, his running mate, Isa Hamisu, among others.