2023 Election: INEC Warns Parties against Disobedience to Elections Guidelines

•Says any congresses or conventions not monitored by commission becomes invalid

Chuks Okocha

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, warned all the 18 registered political parties participating in the 2023 general election, that, there must be strict adherence to the timetables and schedules of elections released recently, else there would be consequences.

The commission, therefore, noted that any of the political parties, whose presidential conventions or congresses were not monitored by the commission would render the exercise null and void.

PDP had last week raised the alarm that the APC was trying to arm-twist the commission to amend the electoral act and change the already announced electoral timetables and schedules of the 2023 general election.

The opposition party claimed there was a clandestine plot by the President Muhammadu Buhari presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to alter the newly passed Electoral Act 2022 to introduce clauses that would compromise the 2023 elections.

But the ruling party, has yet to announce its 2023 election timetable and schedules of 2023 elections or disclaim PDP’s assertion.

This, in a strongly-worded statement by INEC’s national commissioner and chairman, Voter Education, Festus Okoye, titled: “Adherence to the 2023 Election Timetable and Schedule of Activities by Political Parties”, the Commission said it would adhere to the timetable already announced.

“The Commission wishes to reiterate that parties must adhere strictly to the principles of internal democracy, drawing from their constitutions, guidelines, the Electoral Act and other Regulations and Guidelines issued by the Commission.

“Their candidates for the 1,491 constituencies for which elections will be conducted in 2023 must emerge from democratic, transparent and valid primaries, in line with the provisions of Sections 29 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“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,” INEC said.

INEC, therefore, enjoined political parties to avoid acrimonious primaries that could result in unnecessary litigations that might lead to failure to nominate and field candidates for elections in some constituencies.

INEC urged Nigerians to recall that on Saturday 26th February 2022, it released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general election.

It further said the timetable provided detailed activities, including the conduct of primaries, nomination of candidates by political parties and other activities leading to the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday 25th February 2023, followed by the Governorship and State Assembly elections on Saturday 11th March 2023.

INEC stated that all the activities were in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.

The statement further stated that, “So far, two out of the 14 activities in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities have been successfully accomplished. The Notice of Election was published on 28th February 2022, while nomination forms have been made available on the Commission’s website since 1st March 2022 for political parties to download and issue to their candidates.”

INEC said the next activity is the conduct of primaries by political parties in line with the dictates of Section 84 of the Electoral Act for which the Timetable and Schedule of Activities provides a period of 61 days (4th April to 3rd June 2022).

In view of this, the Commission reiterated that parties must adhere strictly to the principles of internal democracy, drawing from their constitutions, guidelines, the Electoral Act and other Regulations and Guidelines issued by the Commission.

“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.

“Political parties are enjoined to avoid acrimonious primaries that could result in unnecessary litigations that may lead to failure to nominate and field candidates for elections in some constituencies,” INEC explained.