The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a stern warning to political parties regarding the arbitrary alteration of delegate lists and changes to the date or venue of primaries for the upcoming Edo governorship election. On Thursday, Mr. Sam Olumekun, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee in Abuja, released this cautionary statement.
According to Olumekun, INEC has already unveiled the timetable and schedule of activities for the governorship election, which encompasses party primaries scheduled to take place from Feb. 1 to Feb. 24. Emphasizing the adherence to electoral guidelines, he pointed out that, in accordance with Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, political parties are obligated to provide the Commission with a minimum of 21 days’ notice before the scheduled date of their primaries.
As of the crucial deadline on Feb. 4 for such notifications, 16 political parties had informed INEC of their intention to participate in the election, along with details of their preferred modes and dates of primaries. Olumekun underscored the importance of conducting these primaries within the state, as Edo State constitutes the constituency for the election, in line with Sections 84(4) and 5(b) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The INEC representative urged political parties to avoid unnecessary delays, arbitrary changes in the venues of their primaries, wholesale alterations of delegates’ lists, or the submission of names that did not emerge from valid primaries as candidates for the election. He also emphasized the need to steer clear of contentious primaries that could lead to a breakdown of law and order, often stemming from non-compliance with the provisions of their constitutions and guidelines, as such issues tend to result in numerous pre-election litigations.
Olumekun revealed that the proposed schedule of primaries by the political parties has been made accessible on INEC’s website and social media platforms for public information. The release also outlined specific dates for various parties, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) conducting its ward congresses on Feb. 12 and its primaries on Feb. 17. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to hold its primaries on Feb. 24, while the Labour Party (LP) has scheduled its primaries for Feb. 22. Additionally, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) are both slated to hold their primaries on Feb. 24. The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) will conduct their primaries on Feb. 23 and Feb. 18, respectively.
