Page 78 - voice-international-oct2022

Nigeria

INEC issue guidelines to the

Political Parties

T he Independent National Electoral must adhere strictly to the principles of internal
The Commission reiterates that parties
Commission (INC) Nigeria, says it will
bar any Political Party that violates the
guidelines, the Electoral Act, and other Regulations
provisions of the Electoral Act in choosing its democracy, drawing from their constitutions,
candidate in the 2023 Elections. and Guidelines issued by the Commission.
The Commission disclosed this in a statement Party candidates for the 1,491 constituencies
signed by its National Commissioner and for which elections will be conducted in 2023 must
Chairman, Information and Voter Education of the emerge from democratic, transparent, and valid
Commission, Festus Okoye tagged “Adherence to the primaries, in line with the provisions of Sections 29
2023 General Election Timetable.” and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022. Where a political
The Election Management Body warned that party fails to comply with the provisions of the Act
Primaries must be held for each elective position a in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate shall
party is nominating candidates for. not be included in the election for the particular
The Timetable provides detailed activities, position in the issue.
including the conduct of primaries, the nomination As required by law, the Commission shall
of candidates by political parties, and other monitor the primaries of each political party that
activities leading to the Presidential and National provides the required legal notice in line with
Assembly elections on February 25, 2023, followed Sections 82 (1) and (5) of the Electoral Act.
by the Governorship and State Assembly elections It adds that the failure of a political party
on March 11, 2023. to notify the Commission of any convention or
All the activities are in line with the provisions of congress convened for the purpose of nominating
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria candidates for any of the elective offices specified
1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022. in the Act shall render the convention or congress
So far, two out of the 14 activities in the invalid.
Timetable and Schedule of Activities have been Primaries must be conducted in the various
successfully accomplished. constituencies as provided in Section 84 of the
The Notice of Election was published on Electoral Act as it is a violation of the law to conduct
February 28, 2022, while nomination forms have primaries outside the constituencies for which
been made available on the Commission’s website parties are nominating candidates. The Commission
since March 1, 2022 for political parties to download will not monitor such primaries and their outcome
and issue to their candidates. will not be accepted.
This is followed by the conduct of primaries by Political parties are enjoined to avoid
political parties in line with the dictates of Section acrimonious primaries that could result in
84 of the Electoral Act for which the Timetable and unnecessary litigations that may lead to failure to
Schedule of Activities provides a period of 61 days nominate and field candidates for elections in some
(April 4, to June 3, 2022). constituencies.
Abbas Jimoh
Daily Trust
Credit: TNC News
Link to original article: https://dailytrust.com/breaking-parties-that-violate-electoral-law-will-be-barred-from-2023-elections-inec

78 | VoICE International | October 2022