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Timetable: INEC Talks Tough As 18 Parties Fail To Conduct Primaries

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has vowed not to extend the June 3, 2022 deadline for primaries even as The PUNCH observed on Monday that none of the 18 political parties had conducted their presidential primaries three weeks to the deadline.

A document obtained from INEC on Monday showed that the Accord Party scheduled its primaries for June 2 while the Action Alliance fixed its own for June 3.

The African Action Congress is also expected to hold its own on June 3 while the African Democratic Congress and the Action Democratic Party will hold theirs on June 1 and May 30 respectively.

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READ ALSO: 2023: INEC Rejects Extension Of Deadline For Party Primaries

The All Progressives Congress will complete its presidential primary on June 1; the All Progressives Grand Alliance will conduct its primary on June 1 while the Allied Peoples Movement will conduct its primary on May 30.

The Action People’s Party slated its primary for May 27, the Boot Party will conduct its own on June 3, Labour Party on June 3 and the New Nigeria People’s Party on June 1 and 2.

The National Rescue Movement fixed its Presidential primary for June 1 and 2, the Peoples Democratic Party will hold its own on May 29, the Peoples Redemption Party will conduct its primary on May 28, and the Young Progressives Party will hold its own on June 1 while Zenith Labour Party will hold its primary on June 1.

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The PUNCH learnt that the Social Democratic Party, which had fixed its primary for May 14,  failed to do so.

Sources told our correspondent that parties had fixed their presidential primaries for the last minute in order to carry out negotiations and also lobby INEC.

A PDP chieftain said, “What many of these smaller parties usually do is to hold their primaries very late in order to adopt the candidate of one of the big parties. They use this to get funding. Also, because everyone is still lobbying INEC for an extension of time, everyone is trying to push their primaries towards the deadline just in case INEC obliges.”

Meanwhile, the PDP has again postponed its governorship primary, for the third time this month.

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The opposition party had first fixed its governorship primary for May 21 and then extended it to May 23. However, in a fresh letter dated May 16 which was addressed to INEC, the party indicated that it would now hold its governorship primaries on May 25.

The party also shifted its House of Assembly primaries from May 7 to May 21 while the House of Representatives primary will take place on May 22. The PDP noted that its senatorial primary will be conducted on May 23 as against the initial May 14.

The letter which was signed by the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, read in part, “In the case of the South-East region, due to the sit-at-home order currently observed on Mondays, the Senate primaries will now hold on May 24, 2022, in the South-East zone.”

Attempts to get a reaction from the National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba, proved abortive as he did not respond to repeated calls.

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Terminal dates for primaries are firm and fixed, no going back – Commission

In a related development, INEC has said that it is too late to tinker with the schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections.

Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, stated this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.

NAN reported that Okoye spoke against the backdrop of the two months extension of the deadline for the conduct of the parties’ primaries recently sought by the Inter-Party Advisory Council.

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READ ALSO: 2023: Court Restrains CBN, INEC From Stopping Emefiele From Contesting

According to him, any change in the June 3 deadline will affect other activities for elections.

“The timetable and schedule of activities released by the commission are derived from the constitution, the Electoral Act and the Regulations and Guidelines of the commission.

“The chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made it clear that our timetable and schedule of activities and the terminal date for the conduct of party primaries are firm and fixed.”

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Why INEC won’t accept fresh request by parties to change electoral timetable – Igini

Also in a chat with The PUNCH, Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, said that INEC won’t accept fresh requests by political parties to change electoral timetables including June 3, 2022 deadline for parties to submit their candidates for the 2023 general elections.

Igini noted that the 18 political parties have been in the habit of constant requests for an extension of the deadline for the submission of candidates.

READ ALSO: Why Political Parties’ Audited Accounts Haven’t Been Published Since 2016 –INEC

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He said, “Within the broad outline of the timetable issued, political parties have been making changes and sending letters almost every day shifting dates, venues and time. As disruptive as these changes to our internal workings, these shifts have all been accommodated by the commission to the extent that our staff now work in the field during weekends.

“These changes have been at a huge cost to the commission that deployed staff members to various states from Abuja and within states.

“If l may observe and ask, why is it that political parties decided to leave out the whole of April that they should have commenced the conduct of primaries? Why is it that some of these parties chose almost the last few days to the end of the month of May for these all-important activities when they know that the submission deadline is the 3rd of June 2022? Haven’t they been hearing and reading the chairman’s consistent refrain of constitutional and statutory timelines are “fixed and firmed” at all stakeholders’ meetings?

“Look, as l have said, changes of venues and time within the framework of the already issued constitutional timetable by the commission, no problems and they have been doing that but a fundamental shift is what the commission has advised against to allow for the certainty of timeline for the 2023 elections otherwise we will continue to shift and shift the timetable.”

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Politics

Atiku Hints On Supporting Obi For 2027 Presidential Race

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The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has said that if in 2027, the party decides that it is the South-East’s turn and selects Peter Obi as its candidate, he will readily offer his support.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if the PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it. As long as it’s the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party.

“If the party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him,” Atiku declared in a recent interview with BBC Hausa Service.

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He added that a merger between the PDP and Labour Party is possible.

Atiku added that members of the party would decide his fate in the 2027 general elections.

The former Vice President mentioned that his recent meeting with Obi might indicate a possible alliance leading up to the 2027 general elections.

READ ALSO: Paul Kagame, Chimamanda Adichie, Aig-Imoukhuede, Other Africans Make Top 100 Influential Global

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Responding to questions about the meeting with Obi, Atiku said, “It’s just a normal friendly meeting that we often have, particularly among us in the opposition parties. Such meetings are healthy for Nigeria’s democracy and in the country’s interest.”

On whether this will bring about a merger, he said, “Yes, it’s very much possible. We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible, and nothing can stop it if we wish to achieve that.”

The former Vice President, who denied that the choice of presidential candidate might frustrate the merger discussion, said, “That’s not true. That challenge will not arise. I can tell you that the choice of who will fly the flag of the party won’t be an issue.”

On why he’s still in active politics, Atiku said, “Yes, we can’t keep quiet and watch things go wrong. People are suffering and we are committed to making Nigeria a better place.

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“It means you are not tired of politics of Nigeria? Not at all. I am still in active politics in Nigeria, at least, as long as God permits.

“My age doesn’t stop the young ones from testing their fate. Everybody, irrespective of age, is allowed to aspire to be anybody in the society, politically or otherwise.”

READ ALSO: Disregard Claim Of Me Bringing Investors To Nigeria – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Regarding his 2027 Presidential ambition, the former Vice President said “That would depend on the decision of my party. I can’t make any categorical statement on that. It’s the duty of the party to decide on the way to go in the next election.

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“Until that time comes. Let’s just wait and see how it will turn out.

“It must not be interpreted like that. I must not be eyeing elections to have meetings with political friends and associates. Currently, we are practising democracy in this country which we fought for with our blood.”

Last week, Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and some other PDP leaders in Abuja.

Obi also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, sparking speculation about a possible coalition for the 2027 general elections.

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Obi was a PDP member until 2022, when he left to pursue his presidential ambitions with the Labour Party.

READ ALSO: NJC Issues Three Judges Warning Letters, Halts Two Others’ Promotion

He finished third behind Atiku in the February 23 presidential election, which was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

Atiku blamed Obi’s departure from the PDP for his loss to Tinubu.

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Analysts argued that Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes combined with Obi’s 6,101,533 votes could have secured a win against Tinubu, who received 8,794,726 votes.

Monday’s meeting marked the first public interaction between Obi and Atiku since the election.

Social media and online platforms were flooded with viral photos of Obi’s meetings with the three PDP figures on Monday.

In 2019, Atiku and Obi ran together on the PDP ticket but were defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

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However, due to internal conflicts, Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in 2019, left the PDP and ran as the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 presidential election.

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JUST IN: Ex-PDP Deputy National Chair, Oyedokun Defects To APC

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A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, has resigned his membership of the party and announced defection to the All Progressives Congress.

Oyedokun, a notable personality within the political circle in Osun State and beyond, said he decided to dump the PDP after consultation with his loyalists.

He said he would be joining APC, where his experience, efforts, and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.

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READ ALSO: Edo Poll: LP Group Urges INEC, Judiciary to Adhere To Rule Of Law, Electoral Act

His resignation letter addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP through the ward, local government and state chairmen of the party obtained late Thursday further read, “As a functional member and leader of PDP (Ward 13, Jagun/ Osi-Bale Ode, Odo-Otin South Local Government, Osun State,) whose high electoral productivity and value have been credibly and positively acknowledged in my ward, across the local council, state and country-wide for the enhancement of the fortune of the PDP, I have the honour (though with pain) in announcing the renunciation of my membership of the party on principle, having observed that the ideals of we, founding members, had been sorely contaminated.

“In taking this step which is not even without due consultation with my teaming loyalists in the PDP, I have consequently decided to shift my allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where I believe my experience, efforts and leadership roles would be valued and appreciated.”

READ ALSO: Step-by-step Guide To Accessing FG Consumer Credit Scheme

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Oyedokun’s defection to the APC is coming at the time the aspirant he supported during the 2022 Osun governorship primary of PDP, Mr Dotun Babayemi is also moving to the national ruling party.

Osun APC said on Wednesday that Babayemi and his supporters would be dumping PDP and joining the party at a rally scheduled to be held in Osogbo on Friday.
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Poll: APC Has No Sellable Candidate, Nothing To Campaign On – Edo Govt

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The Edo State Government claimed on Monday that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has no credible candidate for the September 21 governorship election.

This was an assertion made by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare also alleged that the party is using lies and propaganda as its campaign strategy.

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READ ALSO: Edo Poll: Reason Ex-Speaker Resigns From PDP Revealed

According to him: “The only APC strategy for the governorship election is to resort to lies and propaganda. When a party takes lies and propaganda as an election strategy, it means it has nothing to offer the people. The party lacks people with character, capacity, and intellect.”

The commissioner who took journalists through a screened shot WhatsApp chat said: “What we have here is the official APC WhatsApp platform, their own people screenshot their discussion. One of them who has a conscience asks, is this the only thing we have?”

Nehikhare, who said APC is ashamed to campaign for its candidate, noted that, as of today, nobody had heard of what the party has for the state.

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READ ALSO: Edo: Man Arrested For Posting Obscene Photos Of 4-year-old Daughter Online

All we heard is how they are going to help their paymaster, lies and propaganda that will not help the state,” he added.

He opined that lies and propaganda are not strategies the opposition party, like APC, can use to win the September 21 governorship election.

The commissioner, who warned against misinformation and fake news ahead of the governorship election, urged media practitioners to be neutral in matters concerning lies and propaganda.

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He, however, noted that Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration has a lot of achievements to market and sell its candidate for the election.

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