TheCable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the African Action Congress (AAC) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) are yet to upload details of their governorship candidates on the commission’s nomination portal.

According to the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general election released by the commission on February 26, political parties are expected to upload the names of their candidates for the governorship and state assembly elections by July 15.

The commission, in a statement on Wednesday by Festus Okoye, its national commissioner, information and voter education, said all political parties that conducted valid primaries are expected to upload their candidates’ details via its nomination portal from July 1 to July 15.

INEC said it has so far processed 6,995 nomination forms uploaded by 16 out of 18 political parties for the constituencies where they intend to sponsor candidates.

“However, two political parties, the African Action Congress (AAC) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), are yet to upload a single nomination to the portal,” the statement reads.

“The Commission hereby reminds all political parties that they have three days left to upload their list of candidates to the ICNP. The deadline is Friday 15th July 2022. The portal will automatically shut down at 6.00pm on that date.

“Meanwhile, the Commission has continuously responded to requests for the issuance of Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents mainly arising from the conduct of party congresses, primaries and nomination of candidates. The number of requests processed has now risen to one million, six hundred  and sixty-two thousand, nine hundred and eighty seven (1,662,987) pages of documents.

“Sadly, in spite of  the Commission’s effort, 147 out of 476 requests processed as at today involving 5,646 pages are yet to be collected by applicants. The Commission appeals to prospective litigants to come forward and collect the certified copies of the documents.”