The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday released the timetable for the June 18, 2022 Ekiti State governorship election.
It also published the Notice of Election at the Commission’s state office in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the notice was in line with Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
It provides that INEC must give Notice of Election not later than 90 days to the governorship election.
The timetable shows that the collection of Forms EC9 and EC9B by political parties will commence on January 4.
Conduct of party primaries and resolution of disputes will hold from January 4 to 29, while the online submission of Forms EC9 and EC9B will take place on February 4.
He added that the move was per the timetable and schedule of activities for the poll released last year by the commission.
The timetable states: February 11, 2022 – publication of particulars of candidates by the Commission. February 25 – last day for withdrawal by candidates/replacement of withdrawn candidates.
March 11 – last day for submission of nomination forms (EC13B) by political parties. March 20 – commencement of campaign in public by political parties.
Also, March 19 – publication of official Register of Voters for the election by the Commission. May 19 – publication of the final list of candidates by the Commission. June 3 – publication of notice of poll by the Commission and last day for the submission of names of polling agents by political parties. June 16 – last day for the campaign by political parties while June 18 – day of election.
However, it is not clear whether some political parties are ready for this timetable as bigger parties like the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are still enmeshed in internal squabbles within their parties.
It is not still clear if the lingering electoral act would have been signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari as all eyes are on Ekiti and Osun states governorship election.
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