Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  has adjusted the electoral timetable, extending the deadline for political parties to conduct primaries, by six days.

The commission extended the deadline after meeting with the leadership of the 18 registered political parties.

At the meeting which held at INEC headquarters in Abuja, the Inter Party Advisory Commission (IPAC) asked for a week extension for political parties to conclude the conduct of their presidential conventions and primaries.

IPAC chairman, Yabagi Yusuf Sani, urged INEC to adjust its June 3rd timeline for the conduct of primaries.

Sani said, “I want to thank you for giving us the very official time to meet with you once again on the issue of how the parties can collaborate with you to ensure that we have a crisis-free election as we conduct our primaries.”

Commenting on INEC’s decision, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the 2023 General Election released on Saturday 26th February 2022 remain intact.

“Earlier, the political parties had requested for 37-60 days extension of the timeline for primaries and the nomination of candidates. The commission was emphatic that this request could not be granted because it would disrupt other scheduled activities on the Timetable. This position of the Commission has not changed.

“However, based on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election, the parties have now pleaded with the commission to use the six-day period between 4th and 9th June to conclude outstanding primaries and prepare to upload the list of candidates and their affidavits on the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal.

“The commission did not schedule any specific activity during this period. The idea is to simply give parties time to compile the list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates before uploading same to the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal from 10th-17th June 2022.

“The Commission has decided to allow the request of the political parties, since the six-day period does not conflict with the next scheduled activity which is the submission of the list of nominated candidates or any of the subsequent timelines which remain sacrosanct,” Okoye said.

Daily Trust