Edo 2024: ‘Only six parties have uploaded their nominations’ – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that only six parties participating in the Edo State governorship election have so far uploaded their nominated candidates into the Commission's portal two weeks after the portal was opened.
Spark News recalls that INEC had announced the opening of the portal for the uploading of parties nominations, which was billed to commence on 4th March 2024 and automatically shut down at 6pm on Saturday 24th March 2024, giving the various parties 20 days to comply. It also announced that party liaison officers will be trained to give necessary help to the political parties.
Speaking during the Commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with parties leaders on Tuesday in Abuja, INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said only six political parties have so far complied with the directive to upload their nominated candidates into the portal.
“Already, party primaries for the Edo State Governorship election have been concluded. By the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, political parties have 20 days to upload the list and personal particulars of their candidates to our dedicated portal.
“We have trained party Liaison Officers and established a Help Desk for political parties. The portal opened on 4th March 2024 and will automatically shut down at 6pm on Saturday 24th March 2024.
“Two weeks later, only six parties have uploaded their nominations to the portal. We urge you to keep to our schedule of activities and avoid last minute rush that may undermine your ability to successfully nominate your candidates”, he said.
Though Prof. Yakubu did not state the parties that have not complied, he however warned that time will not be extended beyond the deadline already published in the timetable of activities for the September 21st gubernatorial election.
“There will be no extension of time beyond the deadline already published in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, to enable us publish the personal particulars of candidates (Form EC9) on 31st March 2024 as required by law”.
On the off-cycle election in Ondo, he hinted that the party primaries will start in the next two weeks, 6th April 2024 and ends three weeks later on 27th April 2024.
The INEC chairman said 16 out of 19 political parties have so far indicated interest in participating in the Ondo election.
Prof. Yakubu urged political parties to adhere strictly to their proposed dates and modes of primaries, stressing that frequent changes are not only disruptive but costly.
“The Commission cannot mobilise, demobilise and remobilise our officials for the monitoring of party primaries at the convenience of political parties. Parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources”
He also enjoined political parties to avoid acrimonious primaries, such as the conduct of parallel primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates, adding that, “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”.
The INEC boss said some of these infractions lead to unnecessary litigations among party members in which the Commission is always joined as a party, saying “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”.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, said parties leaders will ensure that the conduct of the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States gubernatorial elections meets the expectations of Nigerians and international community.
Mr. Dantalle, who doubles as the Chairman of Allied People’s Movement (APM), said IPAC will constantly engage INEC and major stakeholders to ensure the success of these
elections.
