2023 PRIMARIES: Postponement of dates and locations of elections will disrupt the election process- says Igini

Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Barrister Mike Igini said the postponement of dates and locations of election activities after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released a schedule would disrupt the election process.

The Akwa REC said that although the political parties' request affects the internal workings of the commission, the parties are free to do so, adding that INEC has taken all shifts into account to the extent that its staff are now on site working at weekends.

 Igini, who has been at the forefront of reforms in the electoral process, noted that political parties have been bombarding the commission with letters every day asking for the dates to be amended to change the schedule.

He said: "This statement is not entirely true and correct as political parties have made changes within the broad outline of the issued timetable and sent letters almost daily to postpone dates, places and times.

Recalling that the Commission rejected the request of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC Chair, Engr. Yabagi Sani at the meeting with the political parties, Igini explained why the request was not granted.

Igini said: "The only request that the commission finds difficult to comply with concerns the fundamental postponement of the dates for the submission of the names of candidates emerging from primaries and congresses, as included in the fixed and firm timetable and schedule of activities.

“These dates are determined and confirmed as published and were reviewed several times in all interactions with political parties as they were determined based on the provisions of Sections 76, 116,132, 178 of the Constitution as well as the provision of Section 28 of the 2022 Act.

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