INEC Sets March 20 – April 10 for Anambra Governorship Primaries

By Iyojo Ameh

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timeline for political parties to conduct their primaries and nominate candidates for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election. The nomination process will officially begin on March 20, 2025, and end on April 10, 2025.

The announcement was made in a statement on Thursday by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, following the Commission’s weekly meeting in Abuja. The meeting was part of ongoing preparations for the off-cycle governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.

According to Olumekun, early preparations will enable the Commission to effectively monitor party primaries in accordance with Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022. He urged political parties to strictly adhere to the approved schedule to ensure a smooth process.

“So far, 12 out of the 19 registered political parties have submitted their detailed schedules for the primaries,” the statement revealed. However, seven parties have yet to comply, and INEC has urged them to do so without delay.

The Commission also warned against last-minute changes to the dates, venues, and modes of primaries, noting that such alterations could disrupt planning, affect the deployment of monitoring staff, and increase operational costs.

“In line with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission published the Notice of Election on November 13, 2024, more than 360 days before the election date,” the statement added.

INEC reassured stakeholders of its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and transparent electoral process while urging political parties to comply with the established guidelines.