By Akombo Aondona, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has alerted all political parties that they have only 61 days to put their acts together and conduct all party primaries meant to produce their candidates for the 2023 General Elections
The electoral umpire issued the alert via a media statement on Tuesday, 5 March, 2022, signed by its National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voters Education Committee, Festus Okoye.
It rested the directive on Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 which stipulated that party primaries be conducted within the timetable and schedule of activities provided by INEC.
Okoye added that political parties must adhere strictly to the principle of internal democracy in the conduct of their primaries, stressing that INEC would not entertain any excuses after the expiration of the 61 stipulated by the Electoral Act.
The INEC commissioner wrote: “The next activity on the timetable is the conduct of party primaries by political parties in line with the dictates of Section 84 of the Electoral Act for which the timetable and schedule of activities provide for the period of 61 days (4th April to 3rd June, 2022).
“The commission wishes to reiterate that parties must adhere strictly to the principle of internal democracy, drawing from their constructions, guidelines, the Electoral Act and regulations and guidelines issued by the commission.
“Political parties are enjoined to avoid acrimonious primaries that could result in unnecessary litigations that may lead to failure to nominate and field candidates for elections in some constituencies.”
Below is the INEC press release in full:
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