The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has announced that 16, political parties have notified the Commission of their intention to participate in the Edo state governorship election and their preferred modes and dates of primaries.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun in a press statement announced that by virtue of Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, political parties are required to give the Commission at least 21 days notice before the date fixed for the conduct of their primaries.
The last date for such notification lapsed on 4th February 2024.
Olumekun said that ‘As the Commission is set to deploy its monitoring teams, political parties are hereby reminded that Edo State is the Constituency for the election. Therefore, primaries must take place within the State in line with Sections 84(4) and 5(b) of the Electoral Act 2022’.
He admonished that ‘Parties are urged to avoid unnecessary postponement, arbitrary changes of venues of their primaries, wholesale change of delegates’ list or the submission of names that did not emerge from vaild primaries as candidates for the election. They should also avoid rancorous primaries that lead to the breakdown of law and order often as a result of non-adherence to the provision of their constitutions and guidelines. These are some of the issues that lead to a large number of pre-election litigations’.
Sam Olumekun noted that ‘the schedule (dates and modes) of primaries proposed by the political parties has been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms for public information’.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Edo State off-cycle Governorship election.
Fifteen Polling Units
Among the activities listed for the election is the conduct of primaries by political parties scheduled for 1st – 24th February 2024.
Similarly, the Electoral umpaire, INEC, has announced that fifteen Polling Units in Jalingo, seven in Yorro and two in Zing federal Constituency are to take part in scheduled supplementary elections on fourteen February.
National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a press statement said the full list and delimitation details of the twenty four polling Units, including number of registered voters and Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs, collected, have been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms.
Olumekun said that ‘in the case of Enugu South 1 State Constituency where election will also hold on Wednesday 14th February 2024, the names and delimitation details of the eight Polling Units remain unchanged’.
He said the commission called on all political parties and candidates to urge their supporters and agents to maintain the peace during the polls.
Lateefah Ibrahim
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