YIAGA Africa, an advocacy organisation, has urged political parties to follow the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 as they conduct primaries to field candidates across two Senatorial Districts, four Federal Constituencies, and three State Constituencies spanning nine states of the Federation ahead of the February 3, 2024 by-elections.
On Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Samson Itodo, Executive Secretary of YIAGA Africa, asked the 19 political parties to follow their constitutions in fielding candidates for the by-elections.
He also warned parties not to sell their nominations to the highest bidder, warning that the tens and hundreds of millions of naira requested from aspirants by parties for nomination forms is progressively transforming Nigeria into a plutocratic state.
Itodo said according to the Electoral Act 2022, parties should notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before primaries. He also said parties cannot change the venue and date of primaries without notifying INEC as this was inconsistent with the law.
He said if INEC does not witness primaries, they are null and void, stressing that the substitution of candidates by parties should comply with the law. “Political parties substitute candidates unlawfully,” Itodo said.
The YIAGA boss said Nigerians won’t take excuses from parties for the coming by-elections as they had enough time to study the Electoral Act and comply with its provisions.