BREAKING: APC postpones presidential primaries (See new date)

The ruling All Progressives Congress has again fixed new dates for its presidential primary election.

According to a source, the exercise will now hold on June 6 and 7, 2022.

APC had earlier scheduled Sunday, 29th – Monday, 30th of May, 2022 for the primary.

However, less than 48 hours before the date earlier fixed, the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) is yet to constitute convention planning committees nor organise screening for all the presidential aspirants who purchased and returned their expression of interest and nomination forms.

The latest development comes a few hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bowed to pressure from political parties by extending the deadline for the conduct of primary elections by six days.

INEC National Electoral Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye had said the commission took the decision after a meeting with the 18 registered political parties under the aegis of the Inter-Party Advisory Council IPAC, on Friday in Abuja.

IPAC had earlier sought a two-month extension from the June 3 deadline, a demand which was rejected by the commission.

Okoye said the extension gives parties time to compile the list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates before uploading the same to the INEC portal.

Saharareporters on Thursday reported that the APC presidential primary may not hold after President Muhammadu Buhari departed the country to participate in the African Union Extra-ordinary Session of Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

“Aspirants are saying Buhari’s departure which had been planned will cause more dysfunctionality considering that till now, no known screening is going on.

“They are confused, they don’t even know when they will be screened nor the mode of primary, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, held a meeting with President Buhari yesterday but we don’t know the outcome yet. We aren’t even sure maybe the primary will hold as scheduled, no screening three days to the exercise,” a source had said

According to a source, the exercise will now hold on June 6 and 7, 2022.

APC had earlier scheduled Sunday, 29th – Monday, 30th of May, 2022 for the primary.

However, less than 48 hours before the date earlier fixed, the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) is yet to constitute convention planning committees nor organise screening for all the presidential aspirants who purchased and returned their expression of interest and nomination forms.

The latest development comes a few hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bowed to pressure from political parties by extending the deadline for the conduct of primary elections by six days.

INEC National Electoral Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye had said the commission took the decision after a meeting with the 18 registered political parties under the aegis of the Inter-Party Advisory Council IPAC, on Friday in Abuja.

IPAC had earlier sought a two-month extension from the June 3 deadline, a demand which was rejected by the commission.

Okoye said the extension gives parties time to compile the list and personal particulars of their nominated candidates before uploading the same to the INEC portal.

Saharareporters on Thursday reported that the APC presidential primary may not hold after President Muhammadu Buhari departed the country to participate in the African Union Extra-ordinary Session of Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

“Aspirants are saying Buhari’s departure which had been planned will cause more dysfunctionality considering that till now, no known screening is going on.

“They are confused, they don’t even know when they will be screened nor the mode of primary, the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, held a meeting with President Buhari yesterday but we don’t know the outcome yet. We aren’t even sure maybe the primary will hold as scheduled, no screening three days to the exercise,” a source had said.