Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kwara State, Garba Attahiru-Madami, has said the commission has with the primary elections of political parties.
Attahiru-Madami who made this known on Thursday in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, said that contrary to the opinion of many politicians in the State, it was not the duty of INEC to conduct primary elections of political parties.
The REC was reacting to a radio programme where a politician complained that no primary election was held in Moro/Edu Federal Constituency, and called on the REC to ensure justice, fairness, and equity for all political parties.
“It is rather unfortunate that politicians who should know about the conduct of primary election do not know. INEC has nothing to do with primary elections of political parties because they handle their primaries; it is their show.
“Parties can do it the way they like, our own is to monitor the process and write our reports. If a member of any political party is not satisfied with the process, then he or she is free to go to court.
“It is when they get to the court that the judge will ask for INEC’s report, having observed and monitored the election. Most politicians and political parties are ignorant of that. The primary election is their own jurisdiction, they are the one empowered to conduct their primaries,” the REC said.
Attahiru-Madami said that the primary elections of political parties INEC officials monitored went well, adding that there were pockets of problems but the parties resolved them.
He reiterated his determination to ensure that the 2023 general election is free, fair, and credible.
