*Demand 5 weeks extension for party primaries
*Commission adamant, says no extension
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently under intense pressure from political parties to extend or alter its already approved Timetable and Schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections.
INEC had released its adjusted Timetable and Schedule of activities for the elections in February, following the late signing of the Electoral Act 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
With the Timetable, all political parties have barely twenty four days remaining to conduct their primary elections, and INEC had earlier acknowledged that all the 18 registered political parties have notified it of dates for their various primary elections
But in a new twist, the 18 political parties unanimously demanded that INEC should extend the exercise for another four weeks, citing the Easter and Salla fasting and break as reasons
The demand was contained in the statement read by the Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Sani Yagbaji, during the commission second consultative meeting for the year with political parties
Yagbaki said, “It is within the framework of the enduring bond between the INEC and IPAC in service to the country, that all the eighteen registered political parties on the platform of IPAC are jointly, without exception, requesting the INEC to consider a slight adjustment to the recently announced timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections.
“In summary, the General Assembly of IPAC, after an exhaustive examination of the INEC timetable and related issues, arrived at a unanimous decision to request for an extension of thirty-seven (37) days to the deadline of the time frame for the conduct of party primaries and resolution of conflicts arising from the primaries: By implication, the IPAC leadership is appealing to the INEC to extend the deadline for the conduct of party primaries and resolution of ensuing conflicts from the present INEC given date of 3rd June, 2022 to 4th August 2022
“Some of the issues considered by the IPAC General Assembly which necessitated the call for extension in the timeframe of the present INEC timetable and schedule of activities are based on certain circumstances and developments that have hampered timely and strict compliance by the political parties to the timetable. Some of the constraining developments which, we believe were not considered and therefore, not factored by the NEC while drawing up its schedule of activities includes the following: The Christian Lenten season and the Muslim fasting In the month of Ramadan respectively followed by the celebrations of Easter and Eid El Fitr, (Sallah), in which the vast majority of party members were involved. The developments inevitably therefore, greatly disrupted planned activities and programmes of the political parties, leading to the loss of about two weeks out of the allotted time of the timetable. It is also, noteworthy that, the scenario was the first time that the two major events in the Christian and Muslim calendars would be occurring around the period of general elections” IPAC chairman noted
He argued further that “Very pertinently, the IPAC General Assembly regards the time allotted by INEC for the conduct of party primaries as too short in view of the efforts required by the political parties for effective and scrupulous screening and selection of qualified and quality flag bearers. The significance of a tidy selection of party candidates in the elections comes, in the country. and the long run, with the benefits of minimizing conflicts with all the likelihood of slowing down the electoral process.
He noted that IPAC was not unmindful of the provisions of the Elecoral Act 2022, while making, the request, adding that the considered view that its request will not, in any way, tantamount to an infringement or, a breach of any extant laws and provisions.
“This is because, the alterations that we are demanding, will not affect the statutory dates already fixed for the conduct of the 2023 general elections.”
He further backed the Councils request with instances where according to him, elections have e been postponed in the country and very body accepted it as it came
“By way of Illustration and reinforcement of our position that the request for slight modifications the INEC schedule of activities is not, as such, without a precedence, I wish to recall the nation’s experience in 2019, when in the heat of the general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission called for a twenty-four shift in the conduct of a scheduled segment of the exercise. At the end of the day, the postponement neither affected the smooth conduct of that year’s entire exercise, nor did it reduce its perception and acceptance by the public as a fair, credible and transparent election.
“We should perhaps, also recall that in the 2019 incident referred to above, the political parties on the platform of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, overwhelmingly and solidly stood by the Independent National Electoral Commission by unanimously supporting the call for a shift in the conduct of the election. That show of solidarity and decision of the political parties was informed by their patriotic consideration of the fact that in the circumstance, taking that course of action was the most rational option, in the superior imperatives of democracy, the electoral process, peace and tranquillity in the polity.”
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of INEC, Professor Yakubu Mamoud insisted that
The commission had no intensions of altering the already working Timetable anmd Schedule of activities for the elections
“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. 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.”
