INEC Raises Concerns Over Rising Costs, Disruptions from Contentious Primaries, and Defectors’ Waivers

• INEC expresses concern over rising costs due to frequent changes in party primaries dates and arbitrary granting of waivers
• Chairman Yakubu urges parties to stick to proposed dates and methods of primaries to optimize resource deployment

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over the increasing operational costs and disturbances caused by frequent changes in proposed dates and methods of primaries for political parties and the arbitrary granting of waivers for defectors.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of INEC, conveyed these concerns during the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties for 2024 in Abuja.

Yakubu pointed out that the commission has faced significant expenses due to the necessity of mobilizing, demobilizing, and remobilizing officials to monitor party primaries, especially following last-minute alterations witnessed in the Edo primaries. He urged political parties to adhere strictly to their proposed primary dates and methods to ensure certainty and optimal resource deployment.

The chairman also raised alarms over contentious primaries, parallel primaries, and the emergence of multiple candidates, which often result in unnecessary legal battles.

He particularly criticized granting waivers to candidates recently members of other political parties, noting that such infractions consume legal fees and resources that could be more productively utilized in other electoral activities.

Regarding the forthcoming Edo State Governorship election scheduled for Saturday, September 21, Yakubu disclosed that only six political parties have uploaded the particulars of their candidates on the INEC portal thus far. He stressed that there would be no extension beyond the deadline of March 24th, urging parties to avoid last-minute rushes.

For the Ondo State Governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 16, Yakubu announced that party primaries will commence on April 6. He mentioned that 16 of 19 political parties have indicated interest in participating in the election.

Meanwhile, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) attributed political party crises to godfathers and emphasized that such disputes should be resolved internally without police involvement.

Yusuf Dantalle, the National Chairman of IPAC and chair of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), responded by stating that political party leadership disputes are strictly internal matters that should be resolved amicably, devoid of police harassment, embarrassment, intimidation, and brutality.