…SHIFTS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS FROM FEB 18, to FEB 23, 2023
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made adjustments to timetable for the 2023 General Elections.
The Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, said during a press press conference on the timetable and the schedule of activities for the election on Saturday the Presidential election erstwhile scheduled for February 18 would now on February 25, 2023.
Yakubu said that governorship and state assembly elections will now be held on March 11, 2023.
The Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were initially scheduled to hold on the 4th of March 2023.
He said that the adjustment became inevitable as a result of the newly signed Electoral Act Amendment Bill on Friday.
“..,Therefore, the Electoral Act 2022, together with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), form the legal basis for conducting all elections in Nigeria.
“In particular, the Electoral Act provides strict timelines for the implementation of electoral activities based on the date of the General Election. One of the significant timelines is the publication of Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for holding an election which has now lapsed for the 2023 General Election.
Consequently, the Commission has decided to adjust the dates of the 2023 General Election to ensure compliance with the provisions of the new law.
“Accordingly, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday 25th February 2023 while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold two weeks later on Saturday 11th March 2023. With this adjustment, the 2023 General Election is now 363 days away.” He said
Yakubu said that the law stipulates critical time bound activities from the publication of Notice of Election to the Conduct of Polls which form the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for elections.
He listed the critical activities and their dates of implementation as follows:
i. Publication of Notice of Election – Monday 28th February 2022.
ii. Conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them – Monday 4th April 2022 to Friday 3rd June 2022.
iii. Submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal for Presidential and National Assembly election – 9.00am on Friday 10th June 2022 to 6.00pm on Friday 17th June 2022.
iv. Submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online nomination portal for Governorship and State Assembly elections – 9.00am on Friday 1st July 2022 to 6.00pm on Friday 15th July 2022.
v. Commencement of Campaign by political parties for Presidential and National Assembly election – Wednesday 28th September 2022.
vi. Commencement of Campaign by political parties for Governorship and State Assembly elections – Wednesday 12th October 2022.
vii. Last day of campaign by political parties for Presidential and National Assembly elections – midnight on Thursday 23rd February 2023.
viii. Last day of campaign by political parties for Governorship and State Assembly elections – midnight on Thursday 9th March 2023.
6. The detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election will be circulated to the media at the end of this briefing. Soft copies will also be uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms immediately. In addition, the Notice of Election will be published in our offices in all the States of the Federation as required by law on Monday 28th February 2022.
7. With the coming into force of the Electoral Act 2022, the Commission will work assiduously to conclude and publish new Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections that are consistent with the Act. These Regulations and Guidelines as well as Manuals issued by the Commission are all part of the legal regulatory framework for elections. Their timely publication will enable all stakeholders in the electoral process to become conversant with their provisions as they prepare for the 2023 General Election.