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With a few weeks to the commencement of party primaries, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties to desist from flouting the extant regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the exercise. The electoral agency also stated that parties that fail to comply with the provisions regulating the conduct of primaries shall have their candidates excluded in the election for the particular position concerned.
According to the agency’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, candidates for the 1,491 constituencies where elections will be held in 2023 must emerge from democratic, transparent, and valid primaries in line with the provisions of Sections 29 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022. The commission pledged to monitor all the primaries of each political party that notifies it as provided in Section 82(1) and (5) of the Electoral Act.
Similarly, parties that fail to notify it of its convention/congress for the purpose of nominating candidates shall have the said convention/congress rendered invalid and of no effect. The statement further warned that on no account should primaries be conducted outside the constituencies for which parties are nominating candidates, vowing that the commission will not monitor the primaries and their outcome will not be accepted. It is worth pointing out that in 2019, INEC rejected the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State because its primaries did not conform to the stipulated timeframe for the exercise.
The electoral agency can still do the same thing again if any party flouts the guidelines. The warning from INEC is timely. It will help to avoid the acrimonies that trail party primaries and also prevent some parties from fielding candidates in some elections. Considering the importance of party primaries in our electoral process, we urge the parties to comply with stipulated guidelines as contained in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.
For instance, Section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022 states clearly that political parties should conduct their primaries and submit the list of candidates at least 180 days before the general election. It also states that the list of candidates submitted must emerge from valid primaries conducted by the political party. When parties conduct their primaries without adherence to the stipulated guidelines and regulations, it smacks of absence of internal democracy and will affect the integrity of the election if products of such unlawful primaries are allowed to contest the polls.
Unfortunately, some political parties are already manifesting attitudes which are not in consonance with their own constitutions. Such dishonourable acts should not be condoned any longer. We urge INEC to remain firm, focused and steadfast in the discharge of its onerous duty to bequeath the nation a credible and transparent election in 2023. The commission is invested with enough powers in the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022 to discharge its duties creditably.
Nigeria’s present democratic journey commenced in 1999 and INEC must spare no effort to ensure its sustenance. The Constitution, Electoral Act and guidelines are instruments to deepen the nation’s democracy and no party should be allowed to truncate them. The political parties and the politicians should be reminded that failure to play by the rules will jeopardise their chances at the polls. It is regrettable that after almost 23 years of unbroken democracy in the country, it is still described as “fledgling” and “nascent.”
Any move by INEC to strengthen the democratic process in Nigeria should be commended. We, therefore, urge the parties to ensure that their primaries are conducted according to relevant electoral laws. If the primaries are duly conducted, they will reflect in the conduct of the 2023 polls. The time has come for Nigerian politicians to do away with the culture of imposition of candidates and other acts of impunity associated with our party primaries and seasonal elections. They should not see the contest as a “do or die” affair.
Let spirit of sportsmanship be allowed to prevail during the exercise, as opposed to bitterness that breeds resentment and chaos. The success of the 2023 elections will depend so much on the conduct of the party primaries. Apart from giving the electoral guidelines for the primaries, INEC will ensure that they are duly conducted. Our democracy can be further developed and sustained if the electoral process is free, fair and credible. The journey to have a stable and enduring democracy will start with the credible conduct of party primaries.
