INEC Shifts 2023 Elections Over Late Signing Of Electoral Act

The Independent National Electoral Commission has shifted the 2023 Presidential election from February 18 to February 25, 2023, following the late signing of the Electoral Act by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

This was announced by the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at a news conference in Abuja on Saturday.

He said the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, February 25, 2023, while governorship and state houses of assembly elections will hold on March 11, 2023.

Yakubu explained that the new date is to allow for conformity with the provisions of the Electoral laws which stipulates that elections notice be published at least 260 days to the elections.

The INEC boss also said the electoral guidelines will also be published in due course.

The new Act states that INEC must publish the notice of election at least 360 days to the polls.

Several groups had called on the President to sign the bill before February 22, 2022, in order to ensure that INEC would not need to change the date in conformity with the Act.

However, Buhari signed it on February 25, 2022.

Source: Punch