The name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, was missing from the list of candidates for the April general elections released on Monday by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Other notable names missing from the list are those of Governor, Gbenga Daniel and Mrs. Lola Abiola-Edewor, the daughter of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Mashood Abiola.

The crisis in the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party had led to the two factions in the state producing different candidates for the elections.

While the faction led by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Chief Jubril Martins-Kuye, produced former ECOMOG Commander and erstwhile military governor of Oyo State , Adetunji Olurin, as its governorship candidate, the other group loyal to Daniel produced Mr. Gboyega Isiaka as its governorship candidate.

While the Martins-Kuye faction produced Mrs. Iyabo Obasanjo Bello, the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as candidate for Ogun Central senatorial district, Abiola- Edewor emeged as the choice of the Daniel group for the same district.

Bankole emerged victorious at the primaries for Abeokuta South Federal Constituency by the Daniel group. But his name was said to have appeared on the list submitted to INEC for clearance by the Martins-Kuye faction which has the support of Obasanjo.

INEC hitherto received a list of candidates forwarded to it by the Daniel-led faction but later said it had accepted the names sent by the Martins-Kuye group. It cited a court order for its action.

In the list of candidates for the state, which was made public in Abeokuta by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Martins Okunfolami, the name of a former Commissioner for Local Government Service Commissioner, Mr. Segun Alawode, appeared for the Abeokuta South Federal constituency.

Mr. Toheeb Adetunji is to fly the party’s ticket in Ogun East and not Daniel.

Olurin, who was cleared as the PDP governorship candidate in the state, will contest the poll with a former Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area , Mr. Tunde Oladunjoye, as his running mate.

Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Mr. Olufolabi Adebayo and Chief Adesoji Awofeso were okayed as the governorship candidates of the ACN, ANPP and Labour Party respectively.

For the senatorial election, ACN has Mr. Odunsi Akinola (Ogun West); Obadara Olugbenga (Ogun Central); and Chief Kaka Adegbenga(Ogun East).

The son of former Governor Olusegun Osoba, Olumide, is the candidate for Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency.

Okunfolami, who signed the list, blamed the delay in its release on the difficulty in sorting out the nomination forms sent from the commission’s head office in Abuja.

When contacted for comments Bankole’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Kayode Odunaro, declined to speak on the development.

INEC also released its approved candidates’ lists in Lagos, Federal Capital Territory, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Kano, and Niger states.

Fifteen candidates will run against Governor Raji Fashola in Lagos State. Among them are Dr. Ade Dosunmu, PDP; Yomi Tokoya, ANPP; Bashorun J.K Randle, SDMP; and Adegbola Dominic, APGA.

Fashola will contest the election with the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Joke Orelope-Adefulire. With Orelope-Adefulire on the list, the speculation that the governor had dropped his deputy, Mrs Sarah Sosan, has been put to rest.

The presidential candidate for Fresh Democratic Party, Pastor Chris Okotie, is the only candidate running on the party’s platform.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, said those cleared to contest the senatorial and House of Representatives elections should check for their names on the lists.

In Osun State, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the PDP was listed for Osun Central Senatorial district.

Also listed were Senator Iyiola Omisore (Osun East), and Isiaka Adeleke (Osun West).

ACN had Prof. Sola Adeyeye as senatorial candidate for Osun West.

Senatorial candidates in Ekiti State are Senator James Olagunju; Ayo Fayose (LP); Kayode Alufa (PDP); Tony Adeniyi (ACN); Senator Sola Akinyede (PDP); Olubunmi Adetunbi (ACN), and Senator Ayo Arise (PDP).

The names of the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, his predecessor, Dele Alake, and former Managing Editor of The News, Mr. Babafemi Ojudu, were missing from the list.

The trio had sought to pick the ACN’s ticket for Ekiti Central.

The release of the list in Minna, Niger State raised dust within the ranks of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.

The clearance of Mr. David Umaru as the governorship candidate of the ANPP was questioned by the leader of the anti-Umar faction, Mr. Umar Useni, who said that Mr. Bala Kuta ought to fly the party’s governorship flag in the state.

He described the congress that produced Umaru as illegal, adding that the delegates that voted for him in the primary election were unaccredited.

Efforts to reach Umaru yielded no result as he did not pick calls to his mobile telephones.

Based on INEC’s list, the governorship candidates of nine political parties were also listed by INEC.

Those listed are Mr. Ahmed Khaliel (ARP); Mr. Daiyabu Suleiman (CPP); Mr. D.S. Galadima (NTP ); Mr. Amodu John (SDMP) and Mr. Ibrahim Shettima (CPC ).

Others are Mr. Abubakar Bwari (ACN ); Mr. David Umaru (ANPP); Dr. Babangida Aliyu (PDP) and Mr. Saheed Baba (ADC).

In Akure, Ondo State, INEC displayed the list of candidates for the April election, with 17 political parties presenting candidates.

The list did not have the names of governorship candidates because no election will be held in April to elect a governor for the state.

But it showed that the PDP, ACN, and LP had candidates presenting candidates for all the elections.

The three senatorial candidates of the LP are Prof, Ajayi Boroffice (Ondo North); Akinyelure Ayo (Ondo Central) and Kunlere Boluwaji (Ondo South).

The PDP has former Governor Olusegun Agagu (Ondo South); Senator Bode Olajumoke (Ondo North) and Senator Gbenga Ogunniya (Ondo Central).

Dr. Olu Agunloye will fly the ACN flag for Ondo North; Akintade Micheal Ondo Central and Mr. Paul Akintelure, Ondo South.

The Administrative Secretary of INEC in the state, Dr. Folarin Awujola, said the list of the House of Assembly contestants would be made public later.

In Kwara State, INEC cleared the governorship candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, and that of the Democratic Peoples Party, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo.

Also given the nod to contest the governorship position in the state are the candidates of the PDP, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed and Mr. Dele Belgore of the ACN.

The electoral body also listed the incumbent governor of the state, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to contest the Kwara Central senatorial ticket on the platform of the PDP. Others are Senator Simeon Ajibola, Kwara South and a former governor of the state, Alhaji Sha’aba Lafiaji, Kwara North.

Twelve governorship candidates were cleared in Akwa Ibom State. They include Governor, Godswill Akpabio (PDP); a former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Senator James Udoedehe (ACN); Group Capt. Sam Ewang (retd.) of the ANPP; Mr. Larry Esin of the CPC; and Mr. David Ekanem of APGA.

The PDP had three of its candidates for senatorial position in the state given the green light by INEC. They are the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, Ita Enang, Senator Aloysius Etuk, and Mrs. Helen Esuene.

In Kano State, a former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of the PDP and the son of a former Head of state, Mr. Mohammed Abacha, of the CPC are to contest the governorship poll.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Tijjani Gwarzo, of the ACN and Alhaji Sagir Takai of the ANPP will also contest the governorship election.

Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime (PDP), may have had the laugh in the state as he was listed for the election by INEC.

His challengers are Dr. Dan Shere (People for Democratic Change), Pastor Ikechukwu Omenkeukwu (ACN), Mr. Okey Ezea (LP) and Paul Okafor (ANPP).

The name of APGA’s candidate, Mr. Obinna Obigue, was not on the list.

Attempts by one of our correspondents to find out why Obigue’s name was left out were futile as the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Josiah Uwazuruonye, replied, “I don’t know.”

In Abuja, the commission still disappointed candidates as it displayed only their credentials for public scrutiny, instead of the anticipated list.

Those who were in the FCT office of the commission sniffed through a stack of documents displayed haphazardly on a 40ft container in the premises.

One of them said, “What I expected to see was a list of candidates, party by party, and not what they have on the container.”

Earlier, the REC in Charge of the FCT, Mr. Eugene Amaju, said the documents on display were personal particulars of candidates.

“What is on display contains their personal particulars which will help the public verify their claims. If we just display their names (and political party) as some say, how will people know whether or not these candidates are lying?” he asked.

He explained that the displayed documents were to assist members of the public to make claims and objections before a final list would be made public.

In Kogi State , Alhaji Jibrin Isah, an ex-director in Afribank, was cleared as the PDP governorship candidate. A former governor of the state, Prince Abubakar Audu, of the ANPP, ex- Chaplain in the State House, Abuja, Prof. Yusuf Obaje, and Anakos Abdulazeez of the ACN were also listed as governorship candidates.

Senator Smart Adeyemi(PDP) was listed as the senatorial candidate for Kogi West; Ahmed Ogembe, Kogi Central and Mr. Dangana Ocheja, Kogi East.

The ANPP has Attai Aidoko Kogi East; Sule Abdul, Kogi West and Senator Otahiru Ohize, Kogi Central.

The ACN candidates cleared to contest in the senatorial race are Abdul Azeez Bello, Adewale Olusegun and Abdulmalik Abdulmalik.

For Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency, Dino Melaye emerged as the ANPP candidate.

Lesson learned: Don't mess with uncle sege for he is not a coward like Mubarak.