The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria has stated that out of the 18 registered political parties in Nigeria, 13 have notified the commission of their intention to conduct primaries towards participating in the outstanding by-elections across eight states in the country.
In its statement through its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, the commission revealed that all 13 political parties in question had also opted for indirect primaries in the selection of their candidates.
According to Okoye, INEC has observed from the notices to the commission that some of the political parties did not specify the venues within the respective constituencies for the conduct of their primaries.
“However, it is observed from the notices to the Commission that some of the political parties did not specify the venues within the respective constituencies for the conduct of their primaries,” he said. “The attention of political parties is hereby drawn to the provisions of Section 87(4) (c) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) which makes it mandatory for any party that intends to nominate a candidate to the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly to hold its congresses in the respective Senatorial District, Federal Constituency and the State Assembly Constituency.”
While the electoral commission in Nigeria had released a harmonized timetable and schedule of activities affecting 12 outstanding by-elections in eight states, the national commissioner also announced that the commission had received information of similar vacancies in Isi-Uzo State Constituency, Enugu, and Bakori State Constituency, Katsina, increasing the number of by-elections to 14.
Political parties have been mandated to conduct their party primaries between August 27 and September 8, 2020, as the commission’s harmonized timetable and schedule of activities have been uploaded on its website and social media platforms.
Previously, the Commission deregistered 74 out of its list of 91 registered political parties in the country with several pending court cases questioning the validity of its deregistration process.
This story is part of our new series on Nigeria where we analyse electoral reform in the country ahead of the next general elections in 2023.
