INEC cautions political parties against frequent change of primary election dates

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has cautioned political parties against frequent changes in primary election dates, as witnessed recently in Edo State.

The Commission said the development is not only disruptive but costly.

INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, issued the warning on Tuesday in Abuja at the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties.

He said ahead of the Ondo State governorship primary elections, which will commence on 6th April, 2024, the Commission cannot mobilise, demobilise and remobilise its officials for the monitoring of primaries at the convenience of the political parties.

The INEC chairman stressed that political parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources.

The Edo State governorship election is holding in the next six months, specifically on September 21, 2024, while the Ondo State Governorship election is holding on November 16, 2024.

Yakubu stated: “Frequent changes as we witnessed recently during the Edo primaries are not only disruptive but costly.

“Similarly, political parties should avoid acrimonious primaries. Increasingly, the conduct of parallel primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates is a frequent occurrence.

“So too is the tendency to grant waivers to candidates who were a few days earlier card-carrying members of other political parties and nominating such persons to the Commission as their candidates for election.

“Some of these infractions lead to unnecessary litigations among party members in which the Commission is always joined as a party. The legal fees and cost of producing Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents can be used more productively in other electoral activities by both the political parties and the Commission.

“We must find a solution to this situation.”

The Commission revealed that only six political parties, out of 16 that indicated interest to participate in the Edo governorship election, have uploaded the details of their candidates on its portal.

It called on the parties to keep to the schedule of activities of the Commission and avoid last minute rush that might undermine their ability to successfully nominate their candidates, insisting that there won’t be any extension of the period.