The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) at the request of Nigeria’s 18 registered political parties has requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shift its previously planned conclusion of primaries date to June 3. Engineer Yabagi Sani, the IPAC National Chairman made the request on Tuesday at Abuja following a section held with the respective political parties by INEC.
Engineer Yabagi said that all the registered parties were of one voice in the matter and asked the electoral to give it due thought, pointing out that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People Democratic Party (PDP) had put aside their historic animosity to present a united front. He added that his body, IPAC, had been a formidable and reliable partner and ally in the support and defense of the electoral commission and asked INEC to use these facts to cast their request in a favorable light. Rounding up his speech the IPAC Chairman said,
“After an exhaustive examination of the INEC timetable and related issues, arrived at a unanimous decision to request for an extension of 37 days to the deadline of the time frame for the conduct of party primaries and resolution of conflicts arising from the primaries.”
However, unfortunately for IPAC and the parties, it was representing, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman denied their request. Reminding the party members that they had earlier forwarded the schedules of their primaries to his office, he remarked that the timeline had been created with those in mind and as such would be impossible to change. He reiterated that there would be no review of the timeline and asked them to instead work together with the Commission to ensure fidelity in the conduction of transparent and Democratic primaries.
