The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed dates for next year’s off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, announced the dates.
Olumekun announced the dates fief the polls in a statement on Tuesday.
He said while September 21, 2024 has been fixed for the conduct of Edo State governorship election, that of Ondo State will be held on November 16, 2024.
The commission announced the dates in the timetable and schedule of activities for the two states governorship elections released on Tuesday in Abuja.
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According to Olumekun, for the Edo State governorship election, the party primaries will be held from February 1 to 24, 2024.
He said: “The submission of the list of nominated candidates via the online portal will start at 9a.m. on March 4, 2024 and close at 6p.m. on March 24, 2024.
“The final list of candidates will be published on April 23, 2024 while campaign in public by political parties commences on April 24, 2024 and ends 24 hours prior to Election Day on September 19, 2024.”
For Ondo, Olumekun said that party primaries would hold from April 6 to 27, 2024.
He added that the submission of the list of nominated candidates via the online portal would start at 9am on April 29, 2024 and close at 6pm on May 20, 2024.
“The final list of candidates will be published on June 18, 2024 while campaign in public by political parties commences on June 19, 2024 and ends 24 hours prior to Election Day on November 14, 2024,” he said.
Olumekun said the timetable and schedule of activities for the two states governorship elections was issued by INEC in exercise of the powers conferred on it by the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
He recalled that the tenure of the governor of Edo State would end on November 11 2024, while that of Ondo State would terminate on February 23, 2025.
He added: “As provided in Section 178 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), election into the said offices shall hold not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of` the last holder of the office.
“The latest date for Election to the office of Governor, Edo State, is 12th October 2024 while that of Ondo State is 24th January 2025.
“Similarly, Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 requires the Commission to publish Notice for the Election not later than 360 days before the date of the election.”
Olumekun added that detailed timetable and schedule of activities for the two states elections had been uploaded to the commission’s website and social media platforms.
“By this ample notice as required by both the Constitution and the Electoral Act, the Commission appeals to political parties and candidates to note the activities in the Timetable for strict compliance,” he said.
