2015 Elections: INEC releases time table

Feb 14, 2015: Presidential, N/Assembly elections
Feb 28, 2015: Guber, State Assembly elections
June 21, 2014: Ekiti Guber
Aug 9, 2014: Osun Guber

By Chioma Gabriel, OKEY NDIRIBE, Ishola Balogun & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 14, 2015 for next year’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

This was contained in a statement issued last night in Abuja  by the Secretary to the Commission Mrs Augusta Ogakwu.

The statement further indicates that the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections would take place on 28, February, 2015.

The Commission’s Scribe also released the detailed time table for the Ekiti  State governorship elections scheduled to take place  in June  this year.

The statement shows that June 21, 2014 has been set aside for the conduct of the Ekiti State Governorship election, while the Osun State gubernatorial polls has been scheduled for August 9, 2014.

For the Ekiti Governorship polls the detailed  electoral time table indicates that the commission shall issue notice for the election on March 3, 2014.

The time table further indicates that commencement of campaigns for the polls begins on March  23, 2014 while collection of forms for candidates by their political parties begins on April 1.

The time table also shows that the last day for the conduct of party primaries is April 14, 2014.

The table further  shows that the last day for submission of forms CF001 and CF002 at the INEC headquarters is April 21, 2014. Publication of personal particulars of the candidates shall take place on April 26, 2014.

The last day set aside for withdrawal by candidates and their replacement by political parties has been fixed for 7th May, 2014 while the last day for submission of nomination forms is fixed for May 20, 2014. Publication of the official list of voters is also scheduled for May, 20.

The Commission has  set aside publication of notice of poll for June 4, 2014.

The table also shows that Submission of names of party agents  for the polls to the Electoral Officer of the Local Government or Area Council has been fixed for June 5, 2014. The last day for campaigns would be June 19, 2014.

“The tenure of office of the Governor of Ekiti State will expire on the 15th day of October 2014. By virtue of the provision of Section 178(2) of the Constitution  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Governorship election in the State shall hold not earlier than one hundred and fifty (150) days and not later than thirty (30) days before the exiration of the term of office of the Governor. The commissionmis by virtue of Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) expected to issue notice for the election not later than ninety (90) days before the date of the election.  The implications of the above provisions are stated below…