The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged political parties to stick to the 2023 elections timetable as it would not allow party primaries beyond June 4th deadline.
The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, outreach and partnership committee (OPC), Prof. Kunle Ajayi, said this on Monday in Abuja at INEC, International Republican Institute (IRI) and Women’s Democracy Network (WDN) engagement with political parties on women’s participation in primaries for 2023 general election.
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According to him, the 18 registered political parties that would participate in the 2023 general elections have been given the time to conduct their party’s primaries ahead of the general election, adding that INEC would not tolerate the late conduct of the primaries.
“Empowered by Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 stipulating that every political party shall not later than 180 days to the general elections, submit to the commission the list of candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections, who must have emerged from valid primaries conducted by the political party.
“The commission fixed April 4th to June 3rd, 2022 for political parties to conduct their primaries to democratically elect their standard-bearers for 2023 generation elections.
“INEC is not ready to listen to any excuse that will be contrary to the electoral act,” Ajayi said.
He also enjoined women to come all out and take their rightful position in Nigeria’s political scheme.
He said, “It is regrettable that representation of women in party politics had been everything but impressive.
“The downward trajectory of the poor showing of women in both appointive and elective positions at national and sub-national levels in contemporary times has not been any different in spite of the robust engagements at all strata on issues around women’s empowerment, gender equity and political inclusion.”
Speaking earlier, Acting Director, Gender and Inclusivity of INEC, Mrs Dorothy Lakunuya Bello, noted that INEC has provided a level playing ground for the women to participate in politics.
She regretted that women constituted 50 per cent of Nigeria’s population but only 10 per cent were interested in political participation.
She said, “We have the hope that this meeting will serve as a motivating factor for the women to take the Bull by the Horn and take their rightful position in Nigeria politics.”
She also urged the women to shun negative tendencies that inhibit women from participating in politics and challenge men in the 2023 general election.
