The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 12 political parties nominated candidates to vie for the governorship seat in the 2023 general election in Ebonyi.

Dr Joseph Chukwu, INEC’s Residential Electoral Commissioner disclosed this to newsmen on Friday in Abakaliki.

He added that 16 registered political parties also fielded candidates for the 24 House of Assembly seats in the 2023 election.

He said that the list of participating political parties and their candidates would be pasted at the various Local Government Area (LGA) offices of the commission in line with the Electoral law.

The REC urged candidates for the election to verify their names at their respective LGAs.

He listed the names of the political parties that nominated governorship candidates in Ebonyi to include; Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), African Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA).

Others include; People’s Democratic (PDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) among others.

Chukwu also listed the 16 political parties that nominated candidates for Ebonyi State House of Assembly seats as follows: AA (24 candidates), ADC (23 Candidates), ADP ( 24 Candidates), APC (24 Candidates), APGA (24 Candidates).

Others are APM (three Candidates), All People’s Party (four Candidates), BP (1 Candidate), LP (24 Candidates), and NNPP (24 Candidates).

Other political parties are NRM (24 Candidates), PDP (24 Candidates), PRP (1 Candidate), PSDP (6 Candidates), and Zenith Labour Party (14 candidates) among others.

The REC further explained that a total of 245 State House of Assembly candidates would participate in the 2023 general elections in Ebonyi.

On the ongoing registration, the REC urged eligible residents of Ebonyi yet to register or update their voter registration to use the window period to do so, as there might not be any further extension after the July 31, deadline.

Chukwu also disclosed that online registration in Ebonyi tentatively stood at 274, 376, while complete registration stood at 336,412 as of July 18, 2022.

The REC said the final number of registered voters would soon be published by the Commission.

“Collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) is ongoing at the various INEC LGA offices in Ebonyi.

“Those who are yet to collect theirs are equally advised to visit our LGA offices where they registered to collect theirs personally as there is no collection by proxy,” Chukwu said. (NAN)