The Independent National Electoral Commission announced on Thursday that a total of 16 political parties have signaled their intention to participate in the upcoming Edo State gubernatorial election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
Earlier, INEC had released the timetable for the off-cycle governorship election in Edo State, slated for September 26, 2023. The timetable outlined various activities, including the holding of party primaries from February 1 to February 24, 2024.
As per Section 82 of the Electoral Act 2022, political parties are required to notify the Commission at least 21 days before the scheduled date for their primaries. The deadline for such notification expired on February 4, 2024.
In a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC confirmed the receipt of notifications from 16 political parties expressing their intent to participate in the election, along with their proposed modes and dates for primaries.
The commission emphasized the necessity for primaries to be conducted within the state boundaries, in accordance with Sections 84(4) and 5(b) of the Electoral Act 2022 and urged political parties to avoid unnecessary delays, venue changes, delegate list alterations, or the submission of candidate names not endorsed through legitimate primaries.
Additionally, parties were advised to conduct peaceful primaries to prevent law and order disruptions, often resulting from non-compliance with internal rules and guidelines, which frequently lead to pre-election litigations.