The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties against frequent changes in the dates and modes of primary elections ahead of the forthcoming Ondo state governorship election.

The commission gave the warning at its first regular quarterly consultative meeting with the leaderships of political parties in Abuja on Tuesday, describing the changes as disruptive and costly.

INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, in his remarks at the event, said that the changes have resulted in the commission mobilising, demobilising and remobilising its officials for the monitoring of party primaries at the convenience of the political parties.

He insisted that parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources.

The electoral umpire boss also expressed fury against political parties granting 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.

He said that some of the infractions usually led to unnecessary litigations among party members which the commission is always joined as a party.

The umpire boss claimed that the legal fees and cost of producing Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents can be used more productively in other electoral activities.

Yakubu equally registered his disappointment that only six political parties have uploaded their list, particulars of candidates into portal for Edo guber, issuing 20-day ultimatum to other participants to upload their nominations.

The electoral umpire further cautioned political parties to avoid acrimonious primaries, lamenting that the conduct of parallel primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates is increasingly becoming a frequent occurrence.

Yakubu saod: “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, September 21, 2024, while the Ondo state governorship election is holding in eight months i.e. Saturday, November 16, 2024.

“Already, party primaries for the Edo state governorship election have been concluded. By the 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.

“We have trained party Liaison Officers and established a Help Desk for political parties. The portal opened on March 4, 2024 and will automatically shut down at 6pm on Saturday March 24, 2024.

“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.

“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 March 31, 2024 as required by law,” it warned.

Giving update on the Ondo governorship race, the electoral umpire boss said: “For the Ondo governorship election, party primaries begin in the next two weeks on April 6, 2024 and ends three weeks later on April 27, 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 lamented.

Handing in further warning, Yakubu said: “Similarly, political parties should avoid acrimonious primaries. Increasingly, the conduct of parallel primaries and 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 warned. (Daily Sun)

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