Make Kogi, Bayelsa guber polls shining examples of internal democracy, INEC tells parties

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

With 170 days to the conduct of the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has charged the various political parties to make the two elections shining examples of internal democracy by the way the political parties conduct their primary elections. Both the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections are scheduled for 16 November 2019.
The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu gave the charge on Monday during the presentation of certificates of return to the Zamfara State governor-elect, Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawale, his deputy, the three elected Senators in the state and the seven House of Representatives members-elect in Abuja.
The measure, he reasoned, will no doubt have a positive impact on the conduct of the proper elections.According to him, “Let me once again remind political parties that we have exactly 171 days to the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections scheduled for 16 November 2019. “Party primaries are scheduled to be conducted between 2nd and 29th August 2019. “Let us make the two elections shining examples of internal democracy by the way the political parties conduct their primary elections. “This will no doubt have a positive impact on the conduct of the proper elections”, he said.
The INEC Chairman further reiterated the importance of conducting proper primaries before elections in order to reduce the spate of litigation associated with them.