The All Progressives Congress (APC) has told all political appointees who want to run in the 2023 general elections to be prepared to quit in accordance with the new Electoral Act of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The APC also shot down rumors that the party's national leadership had set the presidential primaries for May 30. Barr Felix Morka, the APC's National Publicity Secretary (NPS), issued the advice after the party's National Working Committee (NWC) held its first meeting at the party's office on Wednesday in Abuja.
In response to a question on the party's position on the new Electoral Act, he merely stated that "everyone participating aims to completely comply with the Electoral Act's intention and letters." "The Ministers are members of the party," he claims. And the party in question is the one in power. Ministers, other appointees, and the party's leadership now receive good advice and direction. I am confident that everyone participating intends to follow the Electoral Act's intent and language to the letter."
Morka dismissed the widely circulated date for the presidential primaries, claiming that while the party's national leadership deliberated on the timeline and calendar of operations, there is no iota of reality in the widely circulated date. Aside from the rumored presidential primary date, the document in circulation reportedly set the sale of expression and nomination forms to begin on Friday, April 22 and end on Saturday, May 7. Other items on the party's timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections include primaries for the State House of Assembly on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, Legislative Elections, which include the House of Representatives and Senate, on Saturday, May 21, 2022, and governorship primaries on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
"Today, April 6, 2022, the NWC of the APC met and among other topics covered, as you would probably expect, we discussed the program for our party's primaries looking at the schedule of activities for the forthcoming elections," Morka said when asked if the report was part of the resolution taken during the NWC meeting. I won't be able to offer you the specifics of that schedule because it's still in the works. "For our primary, we have yet to come to an agreement on a specific plan, timeframe, or schedule." However, I can affirm that we had that discussion today. We started it today. But we haven't reached a conclusion or made a choice," he continued.
"I can confirm that we have negotiations," he remarked when asked if he was denying the date of the presidential primary as reported in the media. However, we have yet to make a decision. We haven't released any information, therefore I'm not aware of anything that is trending." We have not made any public information concerning the dates of our primaries available. But what I'm confirming is that we did have that conversation. And it's still in the works; as soon as the specifics are worked out and a decision is made, you'll be the first to know." I can tell you that the timeframe and volume of forms will be satisfied.
