The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a six days’ extension for political parties in Nigeria to conduct primaries for the upcoming 2023 general elections.
Driving the news
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, while announcing the latest development stated that the extension is to give time to political parties to conduct primaries and compile a candidacy list which they would upload to the designated portal from June 10th to 17th 2022.
What INEC said on the extension
The INEC official, Festus Okoye said that the commission granted the plea to extend primaries on the premise that it has no activity set till June 10th 2022, by which political parties would upload their flag bearers to the designated portal.
In case you missed it
- The political parties registered under the aegis of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) had severally sought a deadline extension from INEC but were turned down with the commission claiming an extension would disrupt the election schedule.
- The political parties have since then been conducting primary elections for the contestable positions including House of Representatives, House of Assembly and Gubernatorial offices.
- INEC announced the extension of the deadline hours to the presidential primaries of the opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Meanwhile
Following the announcement by the electoral commission, Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) has postponed the earlier scheduled presidential primaries from May 29th and 30th to June 6th to 8th.