OFF- CYCLE ELECTIONS: INEC announces 21st Sept, 16th Nov, 2024 as date for Edo, Ondo

… Urges Parties to stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries 

Oru Leonard

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has disclosed the dates for Edo and Ondo States Governorship election that will come up later this year.

In his welcome address during the first quarterly consultative meeting for the year 2024, Mahmood who said it is pertinent to evaluate on how the recent Political Primaries took place in Edo said the date for Edo State gubernatorial election is scheduled for 21st September while that of Ondo State goes for 16th November, 2024.

“The main focus of today’s meeting is the off-cycle Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States. As you are aware, the two elections are holding later this year. The Edo State Governorship election is holding in the next six months i.e. Saturday 21st September 2024 while the Ondo State Governorship election is holding in eight months i.e. Saturday 16th November 2024.

“On like the recent primaries in Edo state and by our Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, political parties have 20 days to upload the list and personal particulars of their candidates to our dedicated portal but two weeks later, only six parties have uploaded their nominations to the portal.

“We urge you to keep to our schedule of activities and avoid last minute rush that may undermine your ability to successfully nominate your candidates and there will be no extension of time beyond the deadline already published in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, to enable us publish the personal particulars of candidates (Form EC9) on 31st March 2024 as required by law”, the INEC Chairman said.

On the Ondo state governorship election, Prof Yakubu revealed that party primaries will begin in the next two weeks, that is on the 6th April, 2024 and will ends three weeks later on the 27th April 2024. So far, 16 out of 19 political parties have indicated interest in participating in the election.

“I urge political parties to adhere strictly to your proposed dates and modes of primaries.

“Frequent changes as we witnessed recently during the Edo primaries are not only disruptive but costly. The Commission cannot mobilise, demobilise and remobilise our officials for the monitoring of party primaries at the convenience of political parties. Parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources.

He also Complained bitterly on the parallel primaries, political parties conducted in their last primary elections. Saying, “Political parties should avoid acrimonious primaries. The emergence of multiple candidates is a frequent occurrence. So too, is the tendency to grant waivers to candidates who were a few days earlier card-carrying members of other political parties and nominating such persons to the Commission as their candidates for election.

“Some of these infractions lead to unnecessary litigations among party members in which the Commission is always joined as a party. The legal fees and cost of producing Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents can be used more productively in other electoral activities by both the political parties and the Commission. We must find a solution to this situation”, he advised.

On his part, the newly elected Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC), Alh. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle said during his speech that, IPAC will be a credible voice of the voiceless and will speak truth to power as the platform that produced all elected public officers.

According to him, “this is a patriotic duty to ensure rapid development of the nation and engage governments at all levels in the delivery of democratic dividends. IPAC will ensure enforcement of the current Code of Conduct for Political Parties which will be reviewed to accommodate recent developments not captured in the Code of Conduct. When leaders of political parties and political office holders live up to expectations, Nigerians will have a breath of fresh air in governance.

“Election is the beauty of democracy. The ballot is sacred and sacrosanct. It is our duty as political leaders to ensure the elections meet international best practices and also hold critical stakeholders accountable. Vote selling and buying, thuggery, voters apathy and intimidation of electoral officials particularly to declare results under duress are still issues militating against the conduct of credible polls in Nigeria.

“This leadership of IPAC will live up to its mandate to ensure an environment conducive for the conduct of successful elections. Accordingly, IPAC will set up a Constitution and Electoral Act Amendments Committee to review glaring irregularities in recent elections and make proposals to the National Assembly in its ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act amendments.

“In this regard, IPAC will be proactive to ensure that the Edo and Ondo States gubernatorial elections meet the expectations of Nigerians and international community. There should be no excuse for poor performance.

“Most of the fictionalizations and imposition of candidates are sponsored by notorious godfathers and reactionary forces from other political parties to ensure they conquer the electoral process.

“This must be resisted by all lovers of democracy in Nigeria. ‘It is time to sanitize the electoral system, ensure integrity of elections that will reinforce citizens’ confidence in the nation’s emerging democracy.

“If Political Party Leaders had been proactive in responding to national issues and engaging governments at all levels on ill-conceived and anti-people policies and actions, proffered alternative course of actions, perhaps the country would not have been in this sorry state”, he concluded.