2019: The INEC Chairman has affirmed the only national party chairmen of political parties can submit candidates’ names, in 2019 elections says INEC
A stern warning came from the The Independent National Electoral Commission to the 91 political parties that it will not receive communication from any organ of the party except the chairman and the National Executive Council of the party.
In is statement the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahood Yakubu, said this during a meeting with party chairmen in Abuja on Friday.
He also said that the confusion in the past by state chapters and the national body of parties would no longer be acceptable where different names of candidates for the same office where received at INEC.
The Supreme Court had ruled over this that the national body of a political party was the only one charged with the duty of communicating with INEC.
Prof. Mehood opined that, “The supremacy of the National Executive Council to inform the commission of dates, venues and membership of committees to handle the conduct of primaries is key.
The Supreme Court has ruled that only NEC can submit the list of candidates to INEC.
As such we will not accept nomination or even invitation for the conduct of primaries from the branches. It is only the national executive of political parties that can contact us. It has happened before and it led to serious litigation.
“The National chairmen should stand firm. Only you can submit the names of candidates for election and only you can advise the commission on when you will conduct primaries. Otherwise, we will end up with conflicting information.”
Yakubu urged the party chairmen to ensure that primaries were free and fair, adding that the number of electoral cases in court were too many.
The INEC boss said some court cases which emanated from the conduct of 2014 primaries were still in court, adding that the many cases in court were draining the resources of the commission.
He said, “Litigation arising from party primaries are of a pre-election nature and are thus not time bound unlike post-election cases which are time bound- 180 days at the tribunal, 60 days at the Appeal Court and 60 days at the Supreme Court.
