EXCLUSIVE: PDP proposes dates for governorship, presidential primaries

The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has proposed April 30 for its presidential primary election.

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

TheCable understands that the party is yet to finalise the document — and the process of approval is still ongoing.

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

If approved, the screening process will fall during the 2022 Ramadan season — which will kick off from April 2.

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

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

BELOW IS THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR PDP ACTIVITIES AHEAD OF 2023 ELECTIONS

MARCH 7: The party’s national working committee (NWC) will release the timetable and guidelines for its activities and equally constitutes congresses and convention committees

MARCH 8: The party will send notice of congresses and conventions to INEC

MARCH 9: The party will send notice of election to state chapters.

MARCH 11: The party will publish its timetable for the 2023 elections in national newspapers.

MARCH 21: The commencement of sales and purchase of forms for all offices.

MARCH 22: Nomination of members of electoral committees and appeal panels.

MARCH 26: Final day for the submission of nomination and expression of interest forms.

MARCH 28: Publication of membership of committees, and convention sub-committees.

MARCH 29-APRIL 2: 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.

APRIL 4-APRIL 6: 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.

APRIL 11: The ward congresses to elect 3-member ad-hoc delegates will take place.

APRIL 12: Ward congresses appeals will take place.

APRIL 14: The LGA congresses to elect national delegates will take place.

APRIL 15: Appeals for the LGA congresses will be conducted

APRIL 16: The national working committee (NWC) of the party will publish delegates’ lists in national newspapers.

APRIL 18: The state house of assembly primaries will be conducted across the states of the federation.

APRIL 19: Appeals on state house of assembly primaries will be heard.

APRIL 22: House of representatives congresses to elect candidates who will contest for the federal constituency elections will be conducted.

APRIL 23: Appeals on the house of representatives congresses will be entertained.

APRIL 25: Senatorial district congresses to elect candidates who will contest for the senatorial elections will be conducted.

APRIL 26: Appeals on the senatorial district congresses will be heard.

APRIL 28: The date for governorship election primaries at the state congresses.

APRIL 29: Appeals on governorship primaries will be entertained.

APRIL 30: The presidential primary election will be conducted at the national convention.

MAY 1: Appeals on the presidential primary will be heard.

MAY 4: The party’s national working committee will present certificates of returns to all candidates.

JUNE 10-JUNE 17: Submission of presidential and national assembly candidates’ names and forms to INEC.

JULY 1-JULY 15: Submission of governorship and state house of assembly candidates’ names and forms to INEC.

SEPTEMBER 28: Commencement of campaigns.

OCTOBER 14: The last day for withdrawal by presidential and national assembly candidates and replacement of withdrawn candidates.

OCTOBER 21: The last day for withdrawal by the state house of assembly and governorship candidates and replacement of withdrawn candidates.

In an update, the party said the timetable and schedule of activities are still going through the “proper approval processes” in line with guidelines.

PDP Has Not Released Timetable for 2023 General Elections

The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the @OfficialPDPNig has been drawn to a fake election timetable being circulated in the social media, purported to have been signed and released by the… pic.twitter.com/symLwQHH2p

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) March 6, 2022

Editor’s note: This report has been updated to indicate that the dates are tentative.