The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released dates for primaries of 15 registered political parties for the Edo Governorship election.
Mr Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in a statement after a virtual meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, announced that party primaries for the Edo Governorship election will hold between June 2 and June 27.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) direct primary will take place on June 22, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would hold indirect primary between June 19 and June 20,” Okoye said.
He added that other parties: the African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Party (ADP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) will conduct their indirect primaries on June 25.
While the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Labour Party (LP) and Young Progressives Party (YPP) has informed the commission that their indirect primaries will hold on June 27.
Other parties to conduct indirect primaries were Action Peoples Party (APP) on June 26, National Rescue Movement (NRM) June 20 and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) June 14.
Okoye further appealed to the various political parties to conduct their primaries in full compliance with the provisions of the laws and guidelines.
These, according to him, include the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Political Party Primaries (2018) and the INEC Policy for Conducting Elections in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic.
Okoye urged the political parties sponsoring candidates and participating in the Edo and Ondo Governorship elections to avoid violence, adding that the commission will not condone acts of electoral impunity.
