The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is advising Civil Society Organisations to beam their searchlight on party primaries and focus attention on the buying of delegates, describing it as a “diabolical practice.”
The commission said some delegates have openly boasted of how much money they made from aspirants during party primaries.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, raised the observations during the first Regular Consultative Meeting with CSOs for the year 2025.
According to him, while CSOs have been actively engaged in monitoring general elections and raising concerns over vote-buying at polling units, there is now an urgent need to tackle the problem of delegate-buying during party primaries.
Yakubu emphasised that the nomination process is a critical stage in the electoral process, as only candidates who emerge from party primaries appear on the ballot for citizens to vote on Election Day.
He said; “I would like to urge civil society organisations to be as interested in party primaries as you are actively engaged in the monitoring of secondary elections conducted by INEC. After all, only the candidates nominated by the political parties are placed on the ballot paper for citizens to vote for on Election Day.
“From your monitoring reports as accredited election observers, you have consistently expressed concerns over vote-buying at Polling Units during elections. Some of you have made actionable recommendations on how to curtail the menace which have been favourably considered by the Commission. It is time to cast your net wide by focusing on the incidence of delegate-buying by aspirants during primaries.
“Some delegates openly boasted of how much money they made from aspirants during party primaries. You should intensify your advocacy in support of the practical steps taken by the relevant security and law enforcement agencies to tackle this diabolical practice”.
The INEC Chairman informed the CSOs that the commission had released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Anambra State Governorship election on 17th October last year.
“As required by law, the Notice of Election was published on 13th November 2024 i.e. 360 days before the date fixed for the election scheduled to hold on 8th November 2025. The next activity is the conduct of party primaries which begins next month. All political parties interested in fielding candidates for the election shall commence their primaries on 20th March 2025 and end three weeks later on 10th April 2025. The commission’s preparation for the election is on the agenda for this meeting.
“Similarly, the Commission has released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory FCT which is the only part of the country where INEC conducts Local Government election. The election will hold on Saturday 21st February 2026. As you are aware, the four-year tenure of the six Chairmen and 62 Councillors will end next year. The last Area Council election was held on 12 February 2022”, he added.
The Convener, Partners for Electoral Reforms, Ezenwa Nwagwu, while speaking on behalf of the CSOs, acknowledged the observations raised by the INEC Chairman and pledged their commitment to addressing the menace of vote-buying, both at the general elections and during primaries.
“The challenge that you have thrown to us is a challenge that we will have to approach from a multi-stakeholder perspective. The menace of vote-buying at the general elections and that perpetrated by the politicians will need the collective effort of not just civil society, but also security agencies and the media. We will continue to shine a light on the activities of politicians, their parties, and candidates”, Nwagwu stated.
He also called on INEC to maintain and even surpass the level of preparedness demonstrated in the Ondo State Governorship election, to ensure a credible and transparent electoral process in Anambra State and beyond.
