The Independent National Electoral Commission has threatened to blacklist political parties unable to conduct peaceful congresses and primaries.
The recent congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West and North-West geopolitical zones were marred with violence, thuggery and shootings.
INEC in a statement on Monday said it might not acknowledge the result of violent congresses if the trend continues.
The statement titled, ‘Conduct of Acrimonious Congress And Primaries By Political Parties’ was signed by INEC spokesman, Festus Okoye.
The statement partly read, “This Commission will not stand askance and watch party conventions and congresses degenerate into farcical rituals and violent fiascos that threaten lives and destroy property.
“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC will henceforth reconsider its involvement in these events, should they continue to put lives of members of the public and staff of the Commission at risk.
“Henceforth, there will be far-reaching consequences in any situation where party congresses and conventions degenerate into violence and destruction of INEC property. Apart from replacing such destroyed materials, parties may be blacklisted from the receipt of INEC materials for their activities in the future.
“The Commission may also withdraw its staff from monitoring such violent political party meetings, with the resultant non-recognition of their outcomes.”
“INEC remains deeply concerned about the acrimony and violence within parties such that there are now more suits in various courts of law arising from party congresses and primaries than from elections conducted by the Commission. Still, the Commission will continue to work with political parties in support of their internal functioning in order to build strong and democratic parties in Nigeria”, Okoye stated.
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