Anambra Guber: INEC gives dates for party primaries

On the FCT area council election, Mr Okoye disclosed that the commission will publish the list and particulars of nominated candidates.

Chukwuemeka Ayomide • June 4, 2021

INEC chariman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu [Photo Credit: Twitter]

Ahead of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked political parties to conduct primary elections between June 10 and July 1, 2021.

The INEC spokesman, Festus Okoye, in a statement released on the official Twitter handle of the commission on Friday, asked political parties to avoid skewed primaries that might lead to litigations.

“Based on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released by the Commission, the Anambra State Governorship election will take place on 6th November, 2021. To this end, Political Parties that have indicated interest in nominating candidates for the election all conduct their primaries for the nomination of candidates between 10″ June and 1° July 2021,” Mr Okoye in the statement said.

“Political parties are enjoined to conduct valid primaries and avoid acrimonious, opaque and skewed primaries leading to avoidable litigation,” he added.

The directive comes amidst incessant attacks on the Commission’s offices and growing concerns of insecurity in the South-East.

The Commission warned that the attack could hamper it’s preparations for future elections, especially the Anambra gubernatorial election.

INEC offices, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions of the country, have been razed in recent times.

Offices in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Ebonyi and Ezza North Local Government Areas of Ebonyi among others have been attacked by unknown men.

The body, in a statement released last month, “expressed anxiety about the impact of such attacks on electoral activities, including the ongoing expansion of voter access to Polling Units, resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), pending bye-elections, end-of-tenure elections and ultimately the 2023 General Election.”

On the FCT area council election, Mr Okoye disclosed that the commission will publish the list and particulars of nominated candidates in their various constituencies on Saturday, June 5, 2021.

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