INEC Extends Deadline for Parties’ Primary Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has given in to demands from political parties to extend the deadline for conducting primary elections.

Recall that political parties, through the Inter-Party Advisory Council, had written to the INEC, requesting a 37- to 60-day extension of the deadline for conducting primaries and nominating candidates, but the electoral umpire declined.

However, during a meeting with the leaders of the political parties, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated that the commission had granted a 7-day extension from the 4th to the 9th of June for the conduct and conclusion of the election.

The Commission, in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee Festus Okoye, said “This request is granted in respect of outstanding primaries only without prejudice to those already concluded by political parties. The Commission will not monitor already concluded primaries.”

“The Commission has decided to allow the request of the political parties since the six-day period does not conflict with the next scheduled activity which is the submission of the list of nominated candidates or any of the subsequent timelines which remain sacrosanct.

“However, this request is granted in respect of outstanding primaries only without prejudice to those already concluded by political parties. The Commission will not monitor already concluded primaries.