2023 Elections: INEC Reveals Fate Of Parties Who Exceed Primaries Deadline

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will not listen to any political party that fails to meet the June 4 deadline for the conduct of primaries.

The commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Outreach and Partnership Committee (OPC), Prof. Adekunle Ajayi, made this known on Monday at an event in Abuja.

He said INEC had fixed April 4th to June 3rd, 2022 for political parties to conduct their primaries to democratically elect their flagbearers for the 2023 general elections.

The INEC commissioner disclosed that none of the 18 political parties had conducted their presidential primaries three weeks before the deadline.

Ajayi, however, advised the parties to stick to the timeline given for the conduct of their primaries, adding that the commission would not listen to any excuse or tolerate late conduct of the primaries.

“The commission fixed April 4th to June 3rd, 2022 for political parties to conduct their primaries to democratically elect their standard-bearers for 2023 general elections. INEC is not ready to listen to any excuse that will be contrary to the Electoral Act,” he said.

Meanwhile, a document released by INEC on Monday showed that the Social Democratic Party, which had fixed its primary for May 14, failed to hold the election.

The document also stated that the Accord Party has scheduled its primaries for June 2 while the Action Alliance fixed its own for June 3.

The African Action Congress is also expected to hold its own on June 3 while the African Democratic Congress and the Action Democratic Party will hold theirs on June 1 and May 30 respectively.

The All Progressives Congress will complete its presidential primary on June 1; the All Progressives Grand Alliance will conduct its primary on June 1 while the Allied Peoples Movement will conduct its primary on May 30.

The Action People’s Party slated its primary for May 27, the Boot Party will conduct its own on June 3, Labour Party on June 3 and the New Nigeria People’s Party on June 1 and 2.

The National Rescue Movement fixed its Presidential primary for June 1 and 2, the Peoples Democratic Party will hold its own on May 29, and the Peoples Redemption Party will conduct its primary on May 28.

According to the document, the Young Progressives Party will hold its own on June 1, Zenith Labour Party will hold its primary on June 1.