INEC extends deadline for submission of nominees' list

By NBF News

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have discreetly extended this week's deadline for the submission of the names of candidates for various elective offices in the April elections..

Sources close to the Commission who spoke to Daily Sun on the condition of anonymity on Monday, said about three weeks had been added to give the parties more time and ensure free and credible primaries.

Excited over the development, the political parties had gone back to the drawing board to re-strategise for the general polls.

The Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State, Dr. Yusha'u Armiyya'u, lent credence to this indication yesterday saying, the party was not in a hurry to conduct the remaining governorship primaries.

'We are still working hard to reach a consensus between the governorship aspirants. This will take time because as you know, I think they have extended the time when the list of aspirants should be submitted to INEC, I think with about 30 to 40 days.

'You will hear about it but I have heard about it. So, we are not sure of when the primary for the governorship is going to take place. We are waiting for our national headquarters to give instruction to that effect. When we hear when the primaries are going to take place, we will certainly inform you,' Dr. Armiyya'u said.

On the controversy trailing the conduct of the party primaries in the state, the Chairman retorted: 'Obviously, as far as the party in Katsina is concerned, this elections are okay, the only thing is anyone who is not happy about the elections has an option of going to court. This is what usually happens in any election.'

He however assured that the party would emerge stronger at the end of the primaries and be in a position to challenge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). We are still working very hard to consolidate our gains and bring the governorship aspirants to a round-table discussion so that we can get a consensus.

'If we get one consensus governorship candidate to emerge, that is the best thing that will happen to us. But in the event that our governorship aspirants have to go for primaries, we are going to plead with them that whoever emerges victorious, let others forget about grievances and rally around him to fight the governorship race,' the CPC chieftain stressed.

The titans vying for the governorship tickets include the former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Bello Masari, former minister of a Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr. Abba Sayyadi Ruma, Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu and Alhaji Abubakar Isa Funtua, son of business mogul, Ismaila Isa Funtua.