The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has called on political parties to adhere strictly to their proposed schedules—dates, venues, and modes of primaries—ahead of the Anambra governorship election scheduled to be held on 8th November 2025.
It noted that changes to the dates, venues, and modes of primaries lead to avoidable demobilisation and remobilisation of its monitoring staff, thereby disrupting the Commission’s workflow.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement issued on Thursday, noted that this also adds to the cost of monitoring primaries and the overall conduct of elections and electoral activities.
He revealed that only 12 out of the 19 registered political parties have submitted the detailed schedules of their primaries.
Olumekun therefore urged the seven parties that have yet to submit the required information to do so immediately.
He recalled that, in line with the provisions of Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission published the Notice of Election on 13th November 2024, over 360 days before the date fixed for the election.
Olumekun explained that, according to the timetable and schedule of activities for the election, the conduct of primaries for the nomination of candidates by political parties is set to commence in the next two weeks—on 20th March 2025—and will end on 10th April 2025.
He said: “As agreed at our last consultative meeting with political parties held in January, doing so early will enable the Commission to plan for the effective monitoring of the primaries in line with the provisions of Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022.
“The seven parties that have yet to submit the required information are hereby reminded to do so in earnest.”
Anambra 2025: INEC warns political parties against sudden change of primary elections venues, dates
