The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said that the Commission will not review the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general election.

Yakubu said any review to extend the timeline for one activity will affect other activities and put unnecessary pressure on INEC and political parties in the country.

The INEC Chairman made this known while speaking at the second quarterly meeting with political parties in Abuja on Tuesday.

He noted that since INEC released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 general election on February 26, 2022, all 18 political parties have forwarded the schedules of their primaries to the Commission, while some have commenced the process of choosing their candidates by conducting ward and local government congresses.

Yakubu said: “Twice in the last two weeks, the Commission had cause to remind political parties of the necessity for strict compliance with the timelines for party primaries. I hereby reiterate the position of the Commission that there will be no review of the timelines. There are so many inter-related activities that are associated with the timelines which must be carried out.

“Any review to extend the timeline for one activity will affect other activities and put unnecessary pressure on political parties and the Commission. This will ultimately result in more complications than what the extension seeks to achieve. Therefore, the Commission will not review the timelines.”

The INEC boss further charged political parties to ensure commitment to the timelines in conducting transparent and democratic primaries ahead of the 2023 general election.

“Working together, we should ensure fidelity to the timelines in conducting transparent and democratic primaries for the purpose of electing candidates for the 1,491 constituencies for which elections will be held on 25th February and 11th March 2023.

“In the spirit of working together to comply with the requirements of law, the Commission has prepared a document to guide political parties in the conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates for election, including a checklist of the documentation required for a successful nomination. The guide is among the documents contained in your folders for this meeting.

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“Similarly, the Commission has prepared a calendar of party primaries for presidential, governorship, national, and state assembly seats based on the proposals submitted by political parties as of Friday 6th May 2022. This document is also contained in your folders for this meeting,” he added.

Yakubu further enjoined the political parties to encourage greater involvement of all under-represented segments of the society as candidates for elections, noting that Women, Youths and Persons with Disability (PWDs) have been yearning for greater representation, particularly in elective positions.

He added that the involvement of the PWDs is the “only way we can change the reality of increasingly low level of representation of these critical segments of the society in legislative assemblies in particular and the governance of our country in general.”

Speaking on the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, the INEC boss said the Commission, in compliance with the Section 42 of the Electoral Act 2022, has invited all political parties fielding candidates for the Ekiti State gubernatorial polls to inspect samples of the materials on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at the Commission’s Conference Room in Abuja.

Yakubu stated: “I wish to remind you that the Ekiti State governorship election is holding next month on Saturday 18th June 2022, while the Osun State governorship election is holding in two months on Saturday 16th July 2022.

“Section 42 of the Electoral Act 2022 requires the Commission to invite political parties to inspect samples of materials for the election not later than 20 days before the date fixed for an election.

“In compliance with this provision, we have invited all political parties fielding candidates for the Ekiti State Governorship election to inspect samples of the materials on Wednesday 18th May 2022 at the Commission’s Conference Room in Abuja at 11.00am.

He, therefore, urged political parties to ensure a transparent electioneering process devoid of “acrimony and rancor”.

“Unfortunately, the number of litigations by aggrieved party members challenging the conduct of party primaries so far may exceed the 807 pre-election Court cases on the 2019 General Election in which the Commission was joined by litigants.

“As we commence our second regular quarterly consultative meeting for this year, I want to reassure party leaders that while the Commission will remain firm in applying the law, we will continue to work with political parties as critical stakeholders in the best interest of our country,” the INEC Chairman stated.

The Star