[size=13pt]Primaries: INEC writes parties on procedure [/size]
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The Independent National Electoral Commission has written political parties on the need to abide by the 2010 Electoral Act during their primaries.

Our correspondents learnt on Sunday that the letter dated September 1, 2010, also directed the parties to amend their constitutions to reflect the provisions of the Act on the conduct of primaries.

According to the timetable for the 2011 poll released by INEC on Tuesday, primaries are to hold between September 11 and 30.

Part of the letter signed by the Secretary of the commission, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaigama, reads, “Due to changes in the Electoral Act 2010 in respect of the ways parties nominate candidates for elections, it becomes necessary for all parties to reflect the requirement of the law in their respective constitutions.”

The commission explained that the primaries “is to enable political parties to democratically nominate candidates for the elections as required by Section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010.”

According to Section 87 of the 2010 Electoral Act, “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act shall hold primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.

“The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions shall be by direct or indirect primaries.

“A political party that adopts the direct primaries procedure shall ensure that all aspirants are given equal opportunity of being voted for by members of the party.”

The Act mandates parties that adopt indirect primaries for presidential candidates to hold special conventions in each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, “where delegates shall vote for each of the aspirants at designated centres in each state capital on specified dates.”

Investigations showed that INEC wrote the letter as part of efforts to ensure that parties did not pick consensus candidates for the 2011 elections as stipulated in the new electoral Act.

“INEC will not accept consensus candidates from any party. That is why the letter has been written to them,” a senior of officer in the commission, who pleaded anonymity, said.

Explaining why the letter was written, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said that it was aimed at intimating parties with the provisions of the 2010 Electoral Act on nomination of candidates.

He said, “With provision of the new Electoral Act, the era of consensus candidates is over. All parties are expected to conduct primaries. That is why parties have been advised to reflect the requirements of the law (Electoral Act) in their constitutions.”

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, acknowledged the receipt of the letter.

He said that the party would conduct primaries for all its aspirants, adding that the candidates of the ACN would emerge on or before October 30.

Meanwhile, members of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party are to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday (tomorrow).

The meeting, described by an NWC member, on Sunday, as a “familiarisation meeting,” was said to be at the instance of the President.

The party chieftain, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak by the party, said the meeting would discuss the date for the party’s National Executive Committee meeting.

It was learnt that the NEC meeting would approve the guidelines for the PDP primaries.

The source also said there was no truth in the rumours that NEC would also meet on Tuesday (tomorrow).

He said, “We are meeting with the President on Tuesday. All the members of the NWC are expected to be at the meeting.

“The meeting is not aimed at discussing the content of the party’s guidelines for the primaries with the president. However, do not forget that he is the leader of the party and we will not deny him if he decides to ask us about our proposition on the matter.”

The NWC is, however, expected to meet on Monday (today) to take a final look at the guidelines and timetable for the nomination of its candidates for the general elections.

It was learnt that whatever decision taken at this meeting would form the basis of the guidelines to be presented to members of NEC when “we meet later in the week.”

Our source said that some PDP governors had been making overtures to the party’s leadership for the governorship primaries to hold first.

He said, “The governors have been meeting with us informally, demanding that the governorship primaries should come first before others.

“But the thinking among my colleagues is that we should adopt INEC timetable by having the National Assembly primaries first to be followed by the presidential before the members of the governorship and states houses of assemblies.”