PDP fixes dates for governorship, presidential primaries

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fixed dates for the governorship and presidential primaries.

The schedule was signed by Umar Bature, the national organising secretary of the party.

Last Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the schedule of activities for the 2023 general election.

The screening process will fall during the 2022 Ramadan season, according to the PDP schedule.

The 30-day Ramadan period will start from April 2.

Specifically, the screening of aspirants for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and presidential seats will take place, respectively, on each day from March 29 to April 2.

According to the schedule, the process would start March 7 with the official release of the timetable and ends October 21, 2022.

The party’s national working committee (NWC) will release the timetable and guidelines for its activities and equally constitutes congresses and convention committees on March 7. On March 8, the party will send notice of congresses and conventions to INEC. The party will send notice of election to state chapters on March 9. Two days later, on March 11, the party will publish its timetable for the 2023 elections in national newspapers.
While on March 21, they would commence the sales and purchase of forms for all offices. The following day, March 22, the party will start nomination of members of electoral committees and appeal panels.

While, March 26, would be the final day for the submission of nomination and expression of interest forms.

March 28 would be for the publication of membership of committees, and convention sub-committees.

The screening of aspirants for the house of assembly, house of representatives, senate, governorship and presidential seats will take place, respectively, on each day from March 29 to April 2.

The screening appeals of aspirants for the house of assembly, house of representatives and senate seats will take place, respectively, on each day from April 4 to April 6.

But the ward congresses to elect 3-member ad-hoc delegates will take place on April 11, while the ward congresses appeals will take place on the next day, April 12.

On April 14, the LGA congresses is scheduled to elect national delegates, while appeals for the same congresses will be conducted on April 15.

Again, on April 16, the national working committee (NWC) of the party will publish delegates’ lists in national newspapers and the state house of assembly primaries will be conducted across the states of the federation on April 18. Appeals on state house of assembly primaries will be heard on April 19.

In addition, on April 22, the House of Representatives congresses to elect candidates who will contest for the federal constituency elections, will be conducted and on April 23, appeals on the house of representatives congresses will be entertained.

Senatorial district congresses to elect candidates who will contest for the senatorial elections will be conducted on April 25, while on April 26, appeals on the senatorial district congresses will be heard.

The date for governorship election primaries at the state congresses is now slated for April 28, but appeals on governorship primaries will be entertained on April 29.

The presidential primary election will be conducted at the national convention on April 30, and appeals on the presidential primary will be heard on May 1. The party’s national working committee will present certificates of returns to all candidates on May 4.

The party would embarked the submission of presidential and national assembly candidates’ names and forms to INEC from June 10 to 17.

According to the PDP, submission of governorship and state house of assembly candidates’ names and forms to INEC will start between July 1 to 15, while campaigns will commence on September 28.

October 14 is the last day for withdrawal by presidential and national assembly candidates and replacement of withdrawn candidates while October 21 is similarly the last day for withdrawal by the state house of assembly and governorship candidates and replacement of withdrawn candidates.