The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated the need for political parties to adhere strictly to the principles of internal democracy in line with their constitutions, guidelines, the Electoral Act 2022 and other Regulations and Guidelines issued by INEC, as they conduct their respective primaries to nominate candidates for the 2023 General Election.

The Commission had, on Saturday 26th February, released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election containing 14 activities including party primaries, scheduled to take place between 4th April and 3rd June 2022 – a period of 60 days. Two out of the activities – publication of the Notice of Election and Collection of the Nomination Forms – have already been implemented on 28th February and 1st March respectively. The next activity is the conduct of primaries.

In a statement dated 5th April and signed by Mr. Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), the Commission affirmed that all the political parties’ candidates for the 1,491 constituencies for which elections will be conducted, must emerge from democratic, transparent, and valid primaries, in line with Sections 29 and 84 of the Electoral Act 2022.

The statement partly reads: “Where a political party fails to comply with the provisions of the Act in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate shall not be included in the election for the particular position in issue.

“As required by law, the Commission shall monitor the primaries of each political party that provides the required legal notice in line with Sections 82 (1) and (5) of the Electoral Act. Failure of a political party to notify the Commission of any convention or congress convened for the purpose of nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified in the Act shall render the convention or congress invalid.

“Primaries must be conducted in the various constituencies as provided in Section 84 of the Electoral Act as it is a violation of the law to conduct primaries outside the constituencies for which parties are nominating candidates. The Commission will not monitor such primaries and their outcome will not be accepted.”

The Commission also enjoined political parties to avoid acrimonious primaries that could result in unnecessary litigations.

The 2023 General Election will begin on Saturday 25th February 2023 with the Presidential and National Assembly elections, to be followed by the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls two weeks later on Saturday 11th March.

Truthisunique2:
Consesus don dey constitution

Na that one first as long as apc is concerned to erase money bag buying of delegates

seunmsg:


APC presidential candidate will emerge from a credible, open, free and fair primary election and not through consensus. Unpopular aspirants whose hopes of picking the party ticket through imposition as consensus candidate better go back to party members and start campaigning.

freshkpomo

Truthisunique2:
you said more than this in the last convention and still failed

Mr integrity who is the leader of the party have already said money bags politics would be eliminated in the presidential race

And we know primaries are the main pipes for money bags to delegates

seunmsg:


Party positions irrespective of the mode of selection have always been shared by relevant stakeholders. The president nominated the Chairman, Tinubu nominated the National secretary etc. Consensus or not, the outcome will be the same. Oyegun and Oshiomhole emerged the same way.

Presidential ticket is one and will never be handed out by consensus. There will be a primary contest same way it was done in 2015 and 2019.

seunmsg:


APC presidential candidate will emerge from a credible, open, free and fair primary election and not through consensus. Unpopular aspirants whose hopes of picking the party ticket through imposition as consensus candidate better go back to party members and start campaigning.

freshkpomo

PS712:
Obviously this is to sound Warning to consensus without primaries. Don't just agree and announce, subject to a vote!

Truthisunique2:
you are saying the same thing, president and vp are position zoned and shared in party too which affect who gets party position

Consensus wise buhari can also nominate his candidate for president while tilumbu bring northern vp

Highest na so e go reach, tinubu used consesus to bring sanwoolu

Moferere:
Consensus is invalid primary abi?

Echoban:


U just choose to b daft in ur ignorance.

Concensus is valid if all aspirants agreed.

It was possible because Tinubu and all other stakeholders agreed. National chairman was never a bone of contention, either concensus or contest, CPC candidate must be the chairman.. why should everyone not agree for the concensus,

Silly u is here comparing chairmanship to Presidency that is directly involving Asiwaju himself, so he LL now agree concensus and throw support for ur Amaechi concensus and start working for him? How u arrive at ur logic shows u just want politcal banter. Infact the likes of Elrufai, and most Governer aren't still pleased with concensus by PMB, they just let it slide down since it's Chairmanship, why should they fight against it since both of contestant are more of CPC loyals,

Use ur head and stop winning argument on nairaland while loosing it in reality.

seunmsg:


APC presidential candidate will emerge from a credible, open, free and fair primary election and not through consensus. Unpopular aspirants whose hopes of picking the party ticket through imposition as consensus candidate better go back to party members and start campaigning.

freshkpomo

ityP:



You people said same for convention, even celebrating others picking form. Buhari will not go through the stress of hand picking a chairman, and then no insert his candidate