2023: INEC Fixes Date for Presidential Election

By Yusuf Adua

The custodian of election in Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the next presidential election will hold on February 25, 2023.

The chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made this disclosure on Saturday at a media briefing in Abuja.

Professor Yakubu said that the national assembly elections will hold on the same day, while gubernatorial and state house assembly polls will take place on March 11, 2023.

The erudite professor did say that the 2023 election was earlier billed for February 18, 2023, with the presidential and national assembly elections, followed by the gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections on March 4.

Professor Yakubu explained that the detailed timetable and schedule of activities was delayed owing to the pending enactment of the electoral act which has now been passed by the President Muhammadu Buhari.

“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,” he said.

Consequently, the commission decided to adjust the dates of the 2023 general election to ensure compliance with the provisions of the new law.

Giving a breakdown of the schedule of activities, the INEC chairman said parties can conduct their primaries, as well as resolve all disputes over the primaries, between April 4, 2022, and June 3, 2022.

Submission of nomination forms via the INEC online portal for the presidential and national assembly elections will take place from June 10 and end at 6 pm on June 17, 2022.

Meanwhile, that of gubernatorial and state houses of assembly will begin on July 1 and end on July 15.

The official date for the commencement of campaign for presidential and national assembly elections is September 28, while that of gubernatorial and state assemblies is October 12.

News Live Nigeria understands that the breeze to the 2023 general elections is beginning to spew up as political gladiators are declaring their ambition on a daily basis.

All campaigns are expected to end at midnight on February 23, 2023, for presidential and national assembly elections.

For the governorship and state assembly candidates, campaign will end on March 9, 2023.