From Osagie Otabor, Benin
A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the date for the conduct of party primaries in the state by one month.
Kekemeke, popularly called ‘Lekeleke’, is one of the governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The electoral body on Monday said it would go on with its earlier schedule released for the conduct of governorship election in the state.
Kekemeke told reporters in Akure that INEC was right in its decision to conduct the polls as scheduled, going by the electoral laws and the constitution.
He, however, urged INEC to be flexible, to enable politicians cover lost grounds due to lockdown occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
Read Also: Ondo 2020: Aspirant denies pact with Akeredolu ahead of primaries
The former Ondo Commissioner for Works noted that INEC still has a window of one month between October 10 and November 23 to conduct the elections, as the date of inauguration of a new government is February 24, 2021.
On the alleged call for online campaigns, Kekemeke cautioned INEC not to engage in acts capable of disenfranchising Ondo people.
He said: “In the case of Ondo, INEC still has a window of one month between October 10 and November 23 to cover for lost grounds. It can add one month extension to cover for what it lost, to enable parties prepare for these elections. This is in order for us to have an effective democracy.
“We must not hinder or hamper effective participation of the people. The people are an important factor. There must be adequate time to mobilise them, there must be adequate time to sensitise them, there must be adequate time for parties to finish with their internal preparations and for them to move around. If two months have been lost and we still have a window of one month, why don’t we add it to make us do what we want to do?
“When I heard the speculations about online campaign, I laughed because I asked the question, what is the literacy percentage of Nigerians? How many people are online? They must not do anything that will disenfranchise the people. I think they need to work with the Presidential Task Force of the Federal Government to work out more practicable modalities of engaging the people while obeying the protocols that demand social distances and reduce crowd and encourage the wearing of face masks.
“In Ondo what the majority of stakeholders want is direct primaries. The reason is because there have been controversies on the emergence of party officials and the way and manner party officials emerge. There has not been a cohesive party leadership that is inclusive. We need to mobilise our party members again by their participation in the aspirant selection process. We need to carry along many interest groups in the party. We need a direct primary election.”
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