Politics

INEC chair: 2023 polls won’t be postponed

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is not contemplating any adjustment to the 2023 general election timetable, noting that the polls would not be postponed.

INEC said the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 25, 2023 while Governorship and State Assembly elections will hold two weeks later on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure at the presentation of the national register voters to political parties at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

Reports had earlier emerged that the 2023 general election faces a serious threat of cancellation due to insecurity.

Yakubu, however, said security agencies have assured adequate protection of INEC officials, materials, and processes, stressing the 2023 polls will as planned.

The INEC boss: “Following the display of the voters’register nationwide and the conclusion of claims and objections by citizens, a new national register of voters has been compiled.

“In short, at no time in the recent history of the commission has so much of the forward planning and implementation been accomplished 44 days ahead of a general election.

“Therefore, the commission is not contemplating any adjustment to the election timetable, let alone the postponement of the general election. For the avoidance of doubt, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday 25th February 2023 while Governorship and State Assembly elections will hold two weeks later on Saturday 11th March 2023.

“The repeated assurance by the security agencies for the adequate protection of our personnel, materials and processes also reinforces our determination to proceed. The 2023 general election will hold as scheduled. Any report to the contrary is not the official position of the commission.”

He added that 93 million registered voters will decide the fate of Nigerians in the 2023 general election.

Yakubu said 49 million voters, representing 52.5 per cent are male, while 44 million electorate, representing 47.5 per cent are female.

The INEC chairman noted that 37 million voters are youth, between the ages of 18 and 34; 34 million voters are middle aged persons between the ages of 35; 49 million electorate are elderly voters between the ages of 50 and 69; while 5 million voters are senior citizens aged 70 and above.

The Star