INEC turns down parties’ request to adjust polls’ timetable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday turned down request by political parties in the country for the extension of timelines for the 2023 general elections primaries by two months.

The political parties made the request through the Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Yabagi, on Tuesday during a meeting of the electoral umpire and leaders of various political parties at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Yabagi, who also is the National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), said it was vital for INEC to extend timelines for the primaries to enable political parties to put things in order for the 2023 general elections.

The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in his remarks listed the agenda of the meeting, which had in attendance, national chairmen of various political parties, including Abdullahi Adamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Iyorchia Ayu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Professor Yakubu, responding to the extension appeal, told the party leaders that INEC would not review the existing timelines. He pleaded with them to conduct credible primaries in order to minimise litigations.

The discussions of the meeting focused on matters concerning the continuous voters’ registration card for the upcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as political parties’ primaries for the 2023 polls.

Yakubu, who reminded them of the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun, appealed to all political parties to comply with the provisions in the Electoral Act.