With uncertainties still surrounding the signing of the amendment effected on the Electoral Act, the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today kick-start the 2023 electioneering process with state Houses of Assembly and House of Representatives primaries, leaving out statutory delegates.
A statement by the National Organising Secretary, Hon. Umar M. Bature states that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has clarified that by Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act, 2022, those qualified and eligible to vote as delegates in the primaries and National Convention of the party are the three (3) ad-hoc delegates per ward, elected at the ward congresses and one (1) national delegate per local government, elected at the local government area congresses.
Hon. Bature also informed that the party NWC has approved that in the event of unforeseen logistic situations activities of the Senatorial Primary may extend to Tuesday, May 24, 2022. The intra-party poll for senatorial positions is scheduled to hold on Monday 23rd May 2022.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the State Houses of Assembly Primaries to elect our State House of Assembly candidates will hold on Sunday, 22nd May 2022, the House of Representatives Primaries to elect our House of Representatives candidates will also hold on Sunday, 22nd May 2022 while the Senatorial Primary to elect our Senatorial candidates will hold on Monday, 23rd May 2022.
The President, Muhammadu Buhari has not appended his signature to an amendment to the Electoral Act carried out by members of the National Assembly. This would have enabled statutory delegates who are appointees of executives at all levels and legislative members to participate by voting in the congresses and national conventions of their parties.