According to circulating rumours, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the nominations of former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godswill Akpabio and Senate President Ahmed Lawan for the Akwa Ibom North-West and Yobe North Senatorial Districts, respectively.
According to bendelnews, the candidacy of the pair was rejected by the electoral authority as a result of controversy surrounding the reportedly producing them in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections.
However, a recent report from an online news source alleged that the commission altered and backdated documents to facilitate the nominations of Lawan and Akpabio.
In a statement released on Tuesday by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, INEC responded to the claim by denying it and reiterating that neither of the two were officially recognised as candidates for the Senate.
For the record, the commission has not recognised any of the two individuals as a senatorial candidate, according to the statement.
We want responsible reporting in place of the unjustified attack on the commission and its officials regarding an issue that is easily verifiable.