2023 Elections To Enter Critical Stages This Month — INEC

​Researched & Edited By Araba, Olawale Enifenilanfe

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said activities for the 2023 general elections would enter critical stages this month from the next 19 days onward.

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It said it will release the final lists of presidential, governorship and other candidates on September 20 and October 4, respectively.

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 INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during a meeting organized by the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja on Thursday.

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He said the publication was in line with section 32(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, as well as the timetable and schedule of activities released by the commission.

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Yakubu gave the breakdown of activities leading up to the conduct of the 2023 elections, noting that while the final list of the presidential candidates will be out on September 20, that of governorship hopefuls will be released on October 4.

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Campaign in public by political parties will officially commence on Sept. 28 as provided for by section 94(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

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The INEC boss, who charged political parties and their candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns, also said the commission is collaborating with security agencies to ensure a peaceful election.

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“As campaigns commence, we appeal to all political parties and candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns.

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“This is the best way to complement our efforts to ensure transparent elections, in which only the votes cast by citizens determine the winner”, he said.

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“The commission welcomes this initiative and as co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), there is no doubt that the security agencies also welcome ideas and citizens’ support towards peaceful elections”, he said.

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The Director, CDD, Ms. Idayat Hassan, said that the meeting was being held against the background of security challenges plaguing the country.

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Hassan said the idea was to start talking about how to de-escalate the tension and how to secure the environment, such that INEC would be able to assess all parts of the country to conduct a peaceful and legitimate election come 2023.

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 “I think one for this elections, the security of election materials, the security of personnel, the security of voters are in context and there is the problem in INEC assessing all areas.

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“We should note that this is not just an INEC problem, this is a stakeholders’ problem, insecurity is already prevailing.

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“The challenge we are having is how do we conduct election against the background of this prevailing insecurity? It will behold on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to come in.”

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