The Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will not extend the deadline for political
parties to submit names of candidates they are fielding for the 2019 general
election.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, chief press
secretary to INEC chairman, said this in an interview with NAN in Abuja on
Friday.
Oyekanmi said the commission
would stick to the schedule the submission of candidates’ names.
INEC had earlier announced
October 18 as deadline for the submission of names for presidential and
national assembly and November 2 as the last day for the submission of names of
governorship and state assemblies elections.
“The commission is following its
timetable and schedule of activities for 2019 general elections. No extension
of deadline for submission,” Oyekanmi said.
Oyekanmi, who was unable to give
the precise number of political parties that met the deadline as of the time of
filing this report, said “over 80 political parties made it but I am still
waiting for the precise number”.
NAN correspondent, who also
visited the Aso Hall, International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, the venue
of the submission after the deadline, said some officers of political parties,
who got tallies on Wednesday night were still going through the submission
process.
A staff of the commission, who
pleaded anonymity, told NAN that given of tally to political parties stopped
Thursday night.
He said due to the last-minute
rush by political parties, INEC staff, security officers and other personnel on
duty at the venue were unable to go home.
He said they had reached about 70
out of over 80 political parties that had so far submitted their candidates’
list.
He also confirmed that the ruling
All Progressives Congress (APC) and major opposition party, Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) had submitted their forms.
As of 4pm on Friday, some
political parties’ representatives were seen in front of the hall waiting for
their turn to submit their forms.
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