The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that at least 19 political parties have informed the commission about their plans to hold their primaries for the state's governorship election.
The commission previously set April as the time for the parties’ primaries, and scheduled the governorship election for November 16, 2024.
During a meeting with political party representatives at the commission’s office in Akure on Thursday, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, shared this information.
Mrs. Babalola stated that the political parties which have given notice to the commission include the All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, the Accord Party, the Action Alliance, the African Action Congress, the African Democratic Congress, the African Democratic Party, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Additional parties that have notified the commission are the Allied Peoples Movement, the Action Peoples Party, the Boot Party, the Labour Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, the National Rescue Movement, the Peoples Redemption Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Youth Party, the Young Progressives Party and the Zenith Labour Party,
The REC stated, “The commission received notification from the political parties for the conduct of primaries for the governorship election exercise set to commence from April 6 to 27.
“The meeting is an opportunity to engage with the political parties on the upcoming party primaries which represented a critical juncture in the democratic journey in the state.”
She emphasized the importance of political parties in ensuring the success and integrity of the process.
Babalola encouraged all parties to strictly adhere to their guidelines, rules, and regulations outlined in their constitutions as well as all electoral laws during their primaries next month.
Babalola also urged the parties to establish the principle of internal democracy in their primaries in order to reduce tension, division, and pre-election cases that may arise after the primaries, and to ensure that their primaries are conducted peacefully, orderly, and transparently to guarantee the credibility of the outcomes.
