The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the timeline for the upcoming primaries for the 2025 Anambra State governorship election, scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
In a press release following its regular weekly meeting, INEC announced that party primaries for the nomination of candidates will begin in just two weeks, starting March 20, 2025, and will conclude by April 10, 2025.
This announcement is part of INEC’s ongoing preparations for the off-cycle governorship election in Anambra State. The commission had previously published the Notice of Election on November 13, 2024, in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates that the notice be issued at least 360 days before the election date.
The INEC release, 12 out of the 19 registered political parties in Nigeria have already submitted detailed schedules for their primaries. This early submission, the commission explained, would allow for effective monitoring in line with Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022. Seven parties, however, have yet to submit their primary schedules, and INEC has urged them to do so promptly.
“By the provision of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, the conduct of primaries for nomination of candidates by Political Parties commences in the next two weeks i.e. 20th March 2025 and ends on 10th April 2025.
Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
“We encourage political parties to stick to the proposed schedules,” “Any sudden changes to the dates, venues, or modes of the primaries disrupt our workflow, leading to unnecessary costs and delays in the electoral process.”
Olumekun Said that early and transparent coordination between political parties and INEC would facilitate the smooth monitoring of the primaries, reducing logistical challenges during the election period.
As the primaries approach, the commission has reminded all political parties of their responsibility to comply with the timelines to ensure a smooth electoral process for the Anambra State governorship election.
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