Nigeria announces poll dates after President Buhari signs Electoral Act
Sunday February 27 2022
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (centre) holds the new electoral law on February 25, 2022 in Abuja. PHOTO | COURTESY | PRESIDENCY
Abuja,
Nigeria will hold its elections on February 25, 2023 and March 11, 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced in Abuja on Saturday.
This was after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022 into law on Friday.
Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC national chairman of INEC, said that the presidential and National Assembly elections will be held hold on February 25, 2023, while governorship and state houses of assembly elections will be held on March 11, 2023.
This will allow the commission to ensure all procedures conform to the provisions of the new Electoral law, which states that the elections notice be published at least 260 days to the elections.
The INEC boss also said the Electoral guidelines will be published in due course.
The Electoral Amendment Act was forwarded for Presidential Assent on January 31 this year.
INEC reported that it will hold an extraordinary meeting on Saturday to proceed with implementing the provisions guiding the forthcoming election.
Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, said the Electoral Act 2022 contains many progressive provisions that will facilitate the conduct of free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria.