The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that a total of 16 political parties will be participating in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
In a statement released on Thursday, Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee at INEC, revealed the names of the parties vying for the position. The list includes Accord Party, Action Alliance, African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Congress, All Progressives Grand Alliance, and the Allied Peoples Movement, among others.
Olumekun urged the participating parties to conduct their primaries in a peaceful and transparent manner, adhering to the provisions outlined in Sections 84(4) and 5(b) of the Electoral Act 2022.
“The parties should ensure that their primaries are held within the state as specified by the Electoral Act,” stated Olumekun. “They should refrain from unnecessary postponements, changes of venue, or submission of names that do not stem from valid primaries. It is crucial to avoid contentious primaries that can lead to legal disputes and disrupt the electoral process.”
It is worth noting that INEC had previously released the timetable and schedule of activities for the Edo State off-cycle governorship election in September 2023. According to the timetable, political parties are required to conduct their primaries between February 1 and 2024. Furthermore, political parties must provide INEC with a minimum of 21 days’ notice before the scheduled date of their primaries, as stipulated by Section 82 of the Electoral Act 2022.