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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that error in the submission of personal particulars of candidates by the political parties could be potentially detrimental to both the party and its candidate.
Its National Commissioner and Chairperson of the Legal Services, Clearance and Complaints Committee (LSC&CC), Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, gave the warning in Abuja at a two-day refresher training workshop on using its Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP) for party officials on Wednesday,
Speaking in her welcome address, she emphasised the importance of accurate and timely nominations in the electoral process.
“Nomination of candidates is not only a statutory obligation as provided in Section 29 of the Electoral Act, 2022, but the very foundation upon which elections are conducted,” she stated, cautioning; “An error in the submission of personal particulars of candidates by political parties can be potentially detrimental to both the party and its candidate.”
The commission further acknowledged that; “despite progress with the ICNP in reducing paperwork and improving compliance, political parties still face challenges such as incomplete form submissions, improper document attachments, and frequent turnover of personnel managing the nomination process.”
The electoral umpire further lamented that: “parties still face challenges such as incomplete form submissions, improper document attachments, and frequent turnover of personnel managing the nomination process.”
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“This refresher training is designed to bridge those gaps and ensure that both returning and newly appointed party officials have the knowledge and skills necessary for a smooth nomination process,” she noted.
Samuel Omale, assistant director in the Legal Drafting and Clearance Department, outlined the purpose and strategic focus of the refresher training.
Omale said the workshop was designed not just as a routine exercise, but as a timely intervention to deepen the capacity of political party officials ahead of upcoming FCT and bye-elections.
“The objective is to refresh political parties on the approved Guidelines for the Nomination of Candidates as outlined in the Electoral Act, 2022, while equipping them with practical knowledge of the nomination process.”
Omale added that the training sought to enhance parties’ familiarity with the commission’s internal procedures, particularly through live demonstrations on how to make timely and correct submissions via the ICNP.
Omale expressed optimism that the training would bring better understanding of the portal, improved accuracy in submissions, and the establishment of a more collaborative framework between INEC and political parties as key deliverables.
“Ultimately, this is about ensuring that we reduce errors and build confidence in the nomination process going forward,” he said.
