Insecurity won’t deter us from conducting credible elections in 2023, says INEC chair
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday, in Abuja, presented the 2022-2026 Strategic Plans and the 2023 Election Project Plan (EPP).
He also disclosed that by next week, the guidelines and regulations for the conduct of the 2023 election will be released by INEC and would mirror the 2022 Electoral Act.
The INEC chairman maintained that election plan which has been finalised 10 months ago would involve over a million electoral officers using a new Electoral Act.
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“The election will be conducted for 1,491 constituencies nationwide made up of one presidential constituency, 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal constituencies, 28 governorship elections and 993 state constituencies.
“The election will involve an estimated one million electoral officials (both permanent and temporary or ad hoc staff) deployed to 176,846 polling units in 8,809 wards and 774 local government areas across the country. The election will be governed by a new Electoral Act 2022”.
While assuring Nigerians and stakeholders that the spate of insecurity across the country will not deter it from the discharge of its mandate in 2023,Professor Yakubu equally assured of better electoral experience for Nigerians in the next general election, leveraging on improved knowledge and experience garnered over three successive electoral cycles as well as an improved technology.
He maintained that the commission aware of the rising security challenges as it prepares for the 2023 general election, insisting that nothing will hinder the advanced process already put in place to deliver on its mandate.
He said INEC would continue to engage the security agencies and other Nigerians for improved situation since security is a shared responsibility.
“We are also aware of the security challenges and their impact on the electoral process.
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“We will continue to engage early and intensely with the security agencies to ensure the safety of our personnel and materials, accredited observers and the media and, above all, the voters.
“Clearly, these are challenging times but we are determined that election must hold in 2023. However, this is a shared responsibility.
Prof. Yakubu, however advised Nigerians who were yet to collect their PVCs or who PVCs have issues to act fast and correct them ahead of the general election.
