Duplicate Names Raise Questions Over Edo Assembly Candidate List

 

By Atlantic Reports

Two candidates’ names appear under different political parties in the published final list for the 2027 Edo State House of Assembly election, prompting the Independent National Electoral Commission’s state office to seek clarification from its headquarters.

Ogbebor Samson Osemudiamen is listed under both the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Esan North East II. Usman William Idenobe appears under the same two parties for Etsako East.

The repeated names raise questions about the nomination records for both constituencies. However, the information available does not establish whether the entries resulted from a publication error, a nomination dispute or another circumstance.

INEC’s Public Relations Officer in Edo, Mrs Toyin Buoro, acknowledged the duplication and said the state office had referred it to headquarters.

“Our observation too, but that was what was sent from the headquarters and we have drawn the attention of the appropriate quarters to it, awaiting their reply,” she said.

No explanation from headquarters was included in the supplied account. The status of the affected entries therefore remains unresolved.

Entries and Individual Candidates

The list contains 164 entries across Edo’s 24 assembly constituencies. Because two names appear more than once, that total should not automatically be treated as the number of distinct individuals contesting.

Clarification is needed to establish the correct party affiliation and nomination status of each affected candidate. The duplication alone does not establish wrongdoing by either candidate or party.

For voters in Esan North East II and Etsako East, an authoritative correction or explanation would clarify who is standing on each platform.

Women Account for Less Than 10 Per Cent

The published breakdown also shows a substantial gender imbalance: 148 entries are recorded as male and 16 as female, representing 90.24 per cent and 9.76 per cent respectively.

These percentages describe the list as published. Any correction to duplicated entries could alter the overall totals and proportions.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has the highest number of female candidates, with four, followed by the Action Democratic Party (ADP), with three. The Labour Party has two.

Eight other parties have one female candidate each: the All Progressives Congress (APC), PDP, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, Action Peoples Party and APM.

The APC’s Maria Edeko, listed as 63, is seeking a second term representing Esan North East II. Uyigue Efosa, listed as 61, is the PDP candidate for Ovia North East I.

Natasha Osawaru, listed as 32, is seeking a second term in Egor on the NDC platform.

The SDP’s female candidates are Kemi Akerele for Akoko Edo I, Shirley Negbedion for Esan North East I, Imuetinyan Bright for Egor and Tracy Ogiemwanye for Ikpoba-Okha.

The ADP has Bukky Ayetan in Egor, Osarenkhoe Erhunmwunse in Ikpoba-Okha and Patience Edobor in Orhionmwon I.

Women are represented across several parties and constituencies, but their share of the published entries remains below one in ten. The figures establish the imbalance, although they do not explain the party selection processes or barriers behind it.

INEC headquarters’ response is the immediate next step in resolving the duplicated names and establishing an accurate candidate count.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.