The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it would release the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections early, as soon as the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill is signed into law.
With just 396 days away from the general polls in Nigeria, INEC boss, Mahmood Yakubu notes that a speedy passage of the Bill is crucial to preparations for the elections.
Yakubu was speaking at the first quarterly meeting with Political Parties for 2022, held in Abuja on Monday.
The Nigeria chief electoral officer disclosed that 2022 is going to be a very busy year for the Commission and the political parties as all the critical preparations must be concluded this year.
He said that nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be announced soon adding that the Commission is currently undertaking a comprehensive clean up of data to ensure that only eligible citizens are added to the voters’ register for the 2023 General Election.
Turning to the major end-of-tenure and off-cycle elections, the INEC Chairman disclosed that party primaries for the Ekiti State Governorship election are scheduled for 4th – 29th January 2022 while its For 16th February to 12th March 2022 in Osun State.
Yakubu further maintained that no party has submitted its list of aspirants, the composition of its electoral panel, the register of members or the list of delegates for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.
INEC is presently warming up to conduct elections into the 68 constituencies in the FCT made up of six Chairmen and 62 Councillors.
The Commission maintains that for all elections going forward, Polling Unit results will be uploaded in real-time to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
