INEC can’t dictate time for candidates’ nomination – Hashim

A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission has no business dictating to the parties when they should nominate candidates. Addressing reporters in Abuja on Friday over the new order of elections released by the INEC on Thursday, he said that for the country to have acceptable, free and […]

A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission has no business dictating to the parties when they should nominate candidates.

Addressing reporters in Abuja on Friday over the new order of elections released by the INEC on Thursday, he said that for the country to have acceptable, free and fair elections in 2027, the INEC would have to be reconstituted. 

Hashim, who asked the INEC chairman, Prof Joel Amupitan to either resign or face a mass action, said primaries were the affairs of political parties. 

“It is an over-reach on the part of INEC to dictate when political parties should conduct primaries. What political parties should do is to nominate, in accordance with the electoral act, when nominations should be received. So, the INEC is not a headmaster that can impose what it wants on political parties. 

“In so far as political parties comply with the electoral act regarding their nominations, a political party can decide to have its presidential primary, even one week to the required time allowed by the electoral act or even two days. INEC cannot legislate on issues that are internal affairs of political parties. This is a settled law. 

“The parties can decide to have their primaries in July or August, insofar as they comply with the requirement so the electoral act on the number of days stipulated for them to nominate their candidates. Taking primaries from July to April is to destabilise the opposition parties,” he said.