Follow Us on Google
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected request by the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to extend deadline for conduct of primaries by political parties.
Speaking at the second quarterly meeting with political parties, the chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had warned the 18 registered political parties participating in the 2023 general elections that the June 3, 2022, deadline still remains sacrosanct.
In his remarks at the INEC quarterly consultative meeting with leaders of 18 registered political parties in Abuja, yesterday, the first since the Electoral Act 2022 was signed on Friday, February 25, INEC chairman reiterated that the June 3 deadline for political parties’ primaries remained in effect.
He said any extension in the timeline for an activity would affect other activities and put unnecessary pressure on political parties and the commission.
IPAC’s National Chairman, who double as the boss of Africa Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Yusuf Sani, had said the demand for adjustment of the timetable and schedule of activities for 2023 general elections was adopted unanimous by the 18 political parties at the IPAC general assembly meeting.
“Some of the issues considered by the IPAC general assembly which necessitated the call for extension in the timeframe of the present INEC timetable and schedule of activities are based on certain circumstances and developments that have hampered timely and strict compliance by the political parties to the timetable,” Sani said.
He listed some of the developments that were not considered by NEC while drawing up the schedule of activities to include Ramadan fast as well as the Eld-el-fitr and Easter celebrations within the period.
Sani said others included the governorship election in Ekiti and Osun, adding that IPAC also considered the time allotted by INEC for the conduct of party primaries as too short in view of the efforts required by the political parties for effective and scrupulous screening and selection of their flag bearers.
He also said the unprecedented large number of aspirants jostling to emerge as candidates of their various political parties in the coming general elections has made the task of screening very cumbersome and demanding.
Sani said political parties also have to be cautious and painstaking in the screening and selection procedures as safeguard against creating rooms for disruptive incidents of litigation by aggrieved aspirants.
“The alterations that we are demanding, will not affect the statutory dates already fixed for the conduct of the 2023 general elections. We are praying for the slight changes in the timetable for the conduct of party primaries in full consciousness of our position as key stakeholders in the nation’s democratic process and who, at the bottom of it all, constitute not only the greatest beneficiaries but, as the platform of all the registered political parties, we are in fact, the fulcrum around which the entire system and processes revolve.
“We should therefore, be seen as a body of responsible and patriotic interest bloc with a very high sense of responsibility and commitment to the success of every crucial stage and aspects in the electoral chain,” he said.
The meeting was attended by new seven political party chairmen and secretaries or their representatives for the first time. They included those of the Action Alliance (AA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Peoples Party (APP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (PDP).
