2023: You Have Only One Month Left To Conduct Primaries – INEC Warns Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated to all political parties in Nigeria that they must conclude their primaries for the 2023 general elections latest by Friday, June 3, 2022.

INEC in a statement on Thursday by its National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye said the date will not be changed.

To this effect, all parties with the intention to participate in the 2023 general elections must have picked their candidates before the deadline set by INEC elapses, Naija News reports.

According to the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election previously released by INEC, parties are to hold primaries to pick their candidates between April 4 to June 3, 2022.

Reiterating the stand in Thursday’s statement, Okoye said the stand of the electoral body is in compliance with the Section 82 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

In the statement titled, “Adherence to Timelines for the Conduct of Primaries by Political Parties”, Okoye said “given the importance of the exercise to the emergence of candidates for the various elective positions for the 2023 General Election, it was imperative to remind political parties that they have one month from this Thursday to conclude their primaries.

“The deadline remains Friday 3rd June 2022. While urging the parties to ensure rancour-free and transparent exercise, the Commission reiterates that the deadline is firm and fixed.

“Nominations for Presidential and National Assembly elections shall be submitted through the INEC web portal from 10th to 17th June 2022 while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly nominations shall be submitted between 1st and 15th July 2022,” he said.

The statement added that apart from concluding the primaries, the list of candidates who emerged from valid primaries must be submitted to INEC.