Featured, Politics
By Anthony Isibor
PROF. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said only eight political parties have uploaded the list and personal particulars of their candidates to its dedicated web portal.
Speaking at the first quarterly Consultative Meeting with Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, for 2024 on Wednesday in Abuja, Prof Yakubu stated that all the18 political parties that have conducted their primaries for the Edo State Governorship election are expected to upload the list and personal particulars of their candidates before the deadline of 6pm on March 24, 2024 when the portal automatically shuts down.
He noted that this will enable the Commission to publish the personal particulars of the candidates (Form EC9) on March 31, 2024 for public scrutiny as required by law.
“Going by the provision of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, political parties have 20 days from March 4, 2024 to upload the list and personal particulars of their candidates to our dedicated web portal. As at this morning, eight parties have done so,” he said.
On the Ondo State Governorship election, Prof. Yakubu explained that political parties will commence their primaries in the next two weeks.
According to him, 16 political parties have indicated interest in participating in the election.
He therefore called on the CSOs to engage with political parties and observe their primaries just as they engage with INEC and deploy observers to the main election conducted by the Commission.
He said that by doing so, the advocacy for inclusivity for groups such as women, youths and Persons with Disability, PwD, that are under-represented in elective offices at national and state levels will be strengthened.
“I want to reassure you that INEC will continue to partner with Civil Society Organisations.
“We appreciate the observations and recommendations contained in your election observation reports. Some of the reforms and innovations introduced by the Commission over the years drew from your observation reports. However, while many of you have submitted your reports, some accredited observers are yet to do so for the general elections, supplementary elections, off-cycle elections, bye-elections and re-run elections. May I therefore seize this opportunity to remind those that are yet to submit their observation reports that it is mandatory to do so being one of the conditions for eligibility to observe future elections. Going forward, the Commission will operate strictly on the policy of “No Observation Report, No Accreditation,” he added.
Realnews reports that the Edo Governorship election is holding on Saturday, September 21, 2024, while that of Ondo State is scheduled for Saturday, November 16, 2024.
The meeting was also organized to brief CSO’s on preparations for the two governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, which are just six months and eight months respectively.
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-March 20, 2024 @ 16:07 GMT|
Tags: Anthony Isibor INEC Prof. Mahmood Yakubu
