INEC Gives Parties 6 Days Extension For Primaries

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally granted an extension of deadlines for conduct of primary election by the political parties ahead of the 2023 general polls.

The 18 political parties participating in the election had under the aegis of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) repeatedly requested for extension of deadline for the nomination and conduct of primaries but INEC refused stating that it would disrupt the timelines in the Timetable/Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election which also has legal implications as stipulated in the Electoral Act 2022.

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In a statement signed by Barr. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, said the IPAC Chairman, Yabagi Sani, had during a meeting with the commission on Friday requested the electoral umpire to allow them utilize the one week period of inactivity between the earlier June 3rd deadline and June 10th to conclude outstanding primaries and begin uploading the names of their candidates unto the INEC’s Candidate Nomination Portal.

The electoral body noted that it granted the request since it did not originally schedule any activity on those days and therefore would not affect other activities coming after as contained in the timetable.

Part of the statement reads, “The Independent National Electoral Commission met with the leadership of political parties today Friday 27th May 2022. Once again, the political parties requested the Commission to review the timelines for political party primaries provided in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the 2023 General Election released on Saturday 26th February 2022.

“Earlier, the political parties had requested for 37 – 60 days extension of the timeline for primaries and the nomination of candidates. The Commission was emphatic that this request could not be granted because it would disrupt other scheduled activities on the Timetable. This position of the Commission has not changed.

“However, based on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election, the parties have now pleaded with the Commission to use the 6-day period between 4th and 9th June 2022 to conclude outstanding primaries and prepare to upload the list of candidates and their affidavits on the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal.

The Commission did not schedule any specific activity during this period. The idea is to simply give parties time to compile the list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates before uploading same to the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal from 10th – 17th June 2022.

“The Commission has decided to allow the request of the political parties since the six-day period does not conflict with the next scheduled activity which is the submission of the list of nominated candidates or any of the subsequent timelines which remain sacrosanct. However, this request is granted in respect of outstanding primaries only without prejudice to those already concluded by political parties. The Commission will not monitor already concluded primaries.”

The commission also advised political to ensure that their primaries are rancour-free in order to meet the timelines for the remaining activities in the timetable for the general election.