The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reminded political parties wishing to field candidates in next year’s general election that there is no extension of time after June 3. INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, also called for rancour-free and transparent exercise.
Okoye reminded the parties that the deadline for the primaries “is firm and fixed.” According to him: “Given the importance of the exercise to the emergence of candidates for the various elective positions for the 2023 general election, it is imperative to remind political parties that they have one month from today to conclude their primaries.
“The deadline remains Friday 3rd June 2022. “Nominations for presidential and National Assembly elections shall be submitted through the INEC web portal from June 10 to 17, 2022 while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly nominations shall be submitted between July 1 and 15, 2022. “Political parties are further reminded that they must submit to the commission the list of candidates who must have emerged from valid primaries.”
The National Commissioner disclosed that all 18 political parties have served the Commission the required notices indicating the dates for their conventions, congresses, and primaries for the purpose of nominating candidates for various elective offices as specified in the Constitution and the Electoral Act. “Some of the parties have already commenced the process for which the Commission has deployed staff to monitor the exercise as required by law,” he stated. He promised that INEC would continue to work with political parties to ensure fidelity to the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the timelines for all the activities contained in the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election. The Commission has given the parties between April 4 and June 3, to conduct their primaries.