The Nigerian parties taking part in the 2023 general elections are to submit a list of their respective candidates for electable positions by 6pm today, June 17th. The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday insisted that there will be no extension of the deadline.
State of play
Political parties in Nigeria last week completed primaries for electable positions for the forthcoming elections in 2023 after INEC severally extended the deadline for political parties to June 9th. However, of all the parties with presidential candidates for the 2023 elections, only the opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has publicly declared the presidential running mate.
What they are saying
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, when asked the number of political parties who had submitted the list to the electoral commission, the official said We have to wait till 6pm, Friday 17th June (the deadline), to have the accurate figure. There will be no extension.”
What you should know
- Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) are in a difficult situation as the possibility of a Muslim-Muslim pairing seems to be the outcome of the party’s presidential representation in the 2023 election as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential flag bearer secured the party’s ticket.
- Peter Obi clinched the presidential ticket for the Labour Party as the other candidate stepped down for the former governor of Anambra State but hasn’t declared a running mate.
- Other presidential candidates without running mates at the time of this report include Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).