INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu says cases in courts arising from the conduct of primaries for the nomination of candidates by political parties are increasing.

Mr Yakubu disclosed this at the capacity-building workshop for justices and judges on election matters in Abuja on Monday.

The chairman said INEC was joined in about 600 cases relating to primaries and candidates’ nomination by political parties for the 2023 general elections.

Mr Yakubu said INEC had studied the various judgments of the tribunals arising from both the 2019 general elections, the off-cycle governorship elections and the by-elections conducted so far.

“We identified areas where we need to do more to reduce litigation. As a result, we are witnessing increasingly fewer court cases challenging the conduct of elections by the commission,” explained the INEC chair. “However, cases arising from the conduct of primaries for the nomination of candidates by political parties is on the increase.”

He added, “Only two weeks ago, one political party served about 70 court processes on the commission in one day seeking to compel us to accept the nomination or substitution of its candidates long after the deadline provided in the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections had elapsed.”

(NAN)