The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the civil society organisations to focus on the incidence of delegate-buying by aspirants during primary elections.
The commission noted that some delegates openly boasted of how much money they made from aspirants during party primaries.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, while speaking at the first regular consultative meeting with the CSOs on Tuesday in Abuja also urged the CSOs to engage actively in the monitoring of party primaries.
TheHintsNews reports that the Commission released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Anambra State Governorship election on 17th October last year.
Checks revealed that the Notice of Election was published on 13th November 2024, that is 360 days before the date fixed for the election scheduled to hold on 8th November 2025.
Yakubu said that the next activity is the conduct of party primaries which begins next month.
The chairman stressed that all political parties interested in fielding candidates for the election would commence their primaries on 20th March 2025 and end three weeks later on 10th April 2025.
He stated: “I would like to urge civil society organisations to be as interested in party primaries as you are actively engaged in the monitoring of secondary elections conducted by INEC.
“Afterall, only the candidates nominated by the political parties are placed on the ballot paper for citizens to vote for on Election Day.
“From your monitoring reports as accredited election observers, you have consistently expressed concern over vote-buying at Polling Units during elections.
“Some of you have made actionable recommendations on how to curtail the menace which have been favourably considered by the Commission.
“It is time to cast your net wide by focusing on the incidence of delegate-buying by aspirants during primaries.
“Some delegates openly boasted of how much money they made from aspirants during party primaries.”