The Independent National Electoral Commission has advised all registered political parties in the country to submit copies of their membership register to it before holding their primaries.
The directive by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at the second regular quarterly meeting of Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja, on Thursday, was in compliance with the new Electoral Act 2022.
Yakubu said, “Let me also seize this opportunity to remind political parties that by the provision of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2022; each party is required to maintain a membership register in hard and soft copy and to make such register available to the Commission not later than 30 days before the date fixed for primaries, congresses and conventions.
“So far, only one political party has complied. It is a mandatory requirement of the law and all parties are required to comply.
“Doing otherwise is like going into an election without the register of voters. There can be no credible primary or general election without a credible register of voters.
“As you are aware, the Electoral Act, together with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and our Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, constitute the electoral legal framework for elections.
“As election managers, it is incumbent upon us to familiarise ourselves with the legal framework.”
