The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu has announced the date for the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.
Professor Yakubu made the announcement at a one-day public hearing on the National Electoral Offences Commission (Establishment) Bill 2021, organized by the Senate Committee on INEC.
The Bill seeks for the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission 13 years after it was recommended by the Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais Committe on Electoral Reforms 2008.
He also noted that several other committees have also dwelt on it: ” Sheikh Ahmed Lemu Committee on the 2011 post-election violence (2011) and, most recently, the Senator Ken Ugwu Nnamani Committee on Constitution and Electoral Reform (2017).”
Passage of bill
The Chairman appealed to the National Assembly for a speedy passage of the electoral law and also a review of the electoral legal framework generally.
On the date for the next election the statement reads; By the principle established by the Commission, the next General Election will hold on Saturday 18th February 2023, which is exactly one year, nine months, two weeks and six days or 660 days from today.
”We hope to release the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election immediately after the Anambra Governorship election scheduled to hold on 6th November 2021.
”In order to do so, there should be clarity and certainty about the electoral legal framework that will govern the election. We are confident that the National Assembly will do the needful soonest.”
However, the INEC chairman noted that of all the numerous responsibilities carried out by the Commission, prosecuting of electoral offenders is the most tasking : ‘ prosecution of electoral offenders has been one of the most challenging. For instance, since the 2015 General Election, 124 cases of electoral offences were filed in various courts out of which 60 convictions have been secured so far, including the most recent one in Akwa Ibom State”
Also, the INEC chairman thanked the sponsors of the bill, the trio of Sen. Abubakar Kyari (Borno North), Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central) and Senator Kabiru Gaya (Kano South).