Abuja – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked political parties to use the six-day period between 4th and 9th June 2022 to conclude all their outstanding primaries.
Festus Okoye,Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of the INEC confirmed this in a press release in Abuja on Friday.
The parties had earlier been given up to June 4 to conclude their primaries and submit the names of their candidates for the 2023 general elections to INEC.
Okoye who stated that the commission rejected the parties request for an extension of between 37-60 days Saud that the six-day period is also for parties to upload the list of candidates and their affidavits on the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal within the same 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 decided to allow the request 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,” he said.
Okoye, however, explained that the six- day extension was granted in respect of outstanding primaries only “without prejudice to those already concluded by political parties.
“The Commission will not monitor already concluded primaries.”
According to him, 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.
He said the lists should 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,” Okoye said.
