INEC extends deadline for primaries by one week

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the June 3 deadline for the conduct of primary election by political parties for about one week, shifting the new date to June 9, 2022.

Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee announced this in statement on Friday after earlier meeting with the political where the request was made.

Okoye said the Commission did not schedule any specific activity during the period between June 3 and 9, hence the request was granted the political parties.

The full statement read:

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 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 INEC Candidates Nomination Portal*

“After the conduct of primaries, the next critical activity for political parties is the online submission of the list of the candidates the party proposes to sponsor which shall be accompanied by an affidavit sworn to by the candidates indicating that they fulfilled all the constitutional requirements for election into the various offices via the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal.

“In addition, the Commission, based on past experience, has decided to train the political party officials to make efficient and effective use of the portal. The Commission will train four officials from each of the 18 political parties, making a total of 72 in all.

“Unfortunately, some of the political parties are still yet to submit their nominees for the training. The Commission hereby reminds such parties to do so immediately. The Commission wishes to reiterate that only electronically submitted nominations will be processed.

“Political parties are therefore advised to ensure that their primaries are free of rancour in order to meet the timelines for the remaining activities embodied in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election.”

Earlier at the meeting, Yabagi Sani, chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) appealed for a little adjustment in the timelines for election to enable the political parties conduct seamless primary election for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 polls.

Sani said IPAC had written a letter to INEC immediately after an interactive session with the Commission and requested that it should take a second look at the timetable which is tight considering that the Electoral Act 2022 will be used for the first time, and there are bound to be mistakes.

He said: “We feel that if we are given more time, we’ll be able to deliver on the promise of having a free and fair elections as we conduct our primaries.

“This meeting is coming on the heels of the meeting which the leaders of political parties had, where we unanimously considered it very important to seek review…we are asking you to consider and give us a little adjustment in the timetable to enable carry out this very important assignment.”

Also, Dan Nwanyanwu, National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party specifically requested that political parties should be given the window between June 3 and 9 to put their house in order.

Nwanyanwu said: “The window he (Sani) is talking about which we want to put before you to consider and plead with you has to do with what happens between the June 3 when primaries would have ended and up to June 9 that we will start uploading what we got from the primaries.

“What we are pleading for is nothing but to allow the parties window because during this time nothing is happening, is just for the parties to start preparing their documentation. So if it please the Commission allow us between 3rd and 9th so that the political parties can put their house together.

“We asked for 30 days you refused us, we asked for two months, you refused us. All the things we asked you refused us. I think this one will not affect the timetable. It will not shift the date of election. It will not do anything. We just need this window so that those things we have not done, we can technically take them up to that time when we are preparing our documentation.”

Speaking before the meeting went into closed door, Mahmood Yakubu INEC Chairman said IPAC’s current request was different from the earlier ones so the Commission would meet after the interface and issued a statement conveying its decision.

Yakubu said: We just heard from the chairman of IPAC who on behalf of the political parties has once again requested for a review of our election timelines.

“It appears that the proposition this time around is different from the request made earlier for which the Commission has responded emphatically.

“For emphasis, the request the last time was for an extension of between 37 and 60 days. On these, the position of the Commission has not changed. Such a request will not be entertained in view of the overlapping activities contained in the timeline and schedule of activities already released and published.

“It appears that the parties have now presented a more defined request for what the chairman calls a little adjustment. We will now discuss further to understand the basis for requesting this little adjustment and thereafter, the Commission will meet and a statement will be issued.”