- Says PVCs do not have expiry date
- Warns political parties on strict compliance to Commission’s timelines
The National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmud Yakubu has laid to rest speculations whether or not Nigeria will hold the forthcoming 2023 general elections, in the face of the growing insecurity.
Admitting the challenges of insecurity across the country, the INEC Chief said the commission is determined to hold the elections notwithstanding.
Clearly, these are challenging times but we are determined that election must hold in 2023,” Prof Yakubu said on Thursday, while publicly presenting the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (SP) and the 2023 Election Project Plan (EPP) held at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
The INEC Chief also debunked claims that Personal Voters Cards issued by the Commission has expiry date.
He described the claim peddled by some politicians as misleading, urging citizens not to register more than once as multiple registration is an offence under the Electoral Act.
“Anyone engaged in the act of double or multiple registration is liable to prosecution. No citizen should engage in it or encourage others to violate the law,” Prof. Yakubu said.
The Commission Chairman said the Personal Voters Cards (PVC) have no expiry date, adding that the card remains valid for all elections.
He said: “For emphasis, the Commission once again reiterates that PVCs have no expiry dates. We want to assure all registered voters that PVCs issued by the Commission remain valid for all elections.”
He therefore urged those who have lost their voters cards, or whose cards are damaged, to approach any of the registration centres to apply for replacement.
He also urged all those who have issues with their accreditation in previous elections to approach the commission’s offices to revalidate and update their information. “Similarly, voters who had issues with their accreditation in previous elections have been encouraged to revalidate and update their information,” he said, while those who wish to transfer their registration from one location to another within a particular State or those who have relocated entirely to another State of the Federation, can update their information at any of the registration centres nationwide.
The INEC Chairman said the ongoing Continuous Voter registration (CVR) exercise for the coming 2023 election will end on 30th June 2022 and all eligible voters who are yet to register are advised to do so on or before that date if they intend to vote.
Addressing the two documents, the INEC Chief said the two documents are the third in the cycle of strategic election plans since the commission began strategic planning of elections in 2012.
Yakubu said the commission has completed all plans towards the 2023 election 10 months ahead of the date, assuring all political parties to be strictly guided by the time table of its activities as there will be strict adherence to the set dates.
He said the forthcoming election would be conducted in the 1491 constituencies nationwide, made up of one presidential constituency, 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal constituencies, 28 governorship elections and 993 state constituencies.
He said the election which would be governed by the new Electoral Act 2022, which has greatly enhanced the commission’s capacity to conduct and better manage election processes, will involve an estimated one million electoral officials (both permanent and, or ad hoc staff) deployed to 176,846 polling units in 8,809 Wards and 774 Local Government Areas across the country.
He said with the institutionalization of the culture of planning elections in Nigeria are getting better, with electoral system increasingly more participatory and electoral outcomes less contentious.
“Third is the institutionalisation of the culture of planning. These elements have guided the Commission through three successive general and several off-cycle and bye elections. Consequently, our elections are getting better, electoral outcomes less contentious, and voter experience of the electoral system increasingly more participatory and inclusive,” he said.
He said the Commission have listened to the demand of Nigerians for seamless processes, particularly with regard to enhanced voter education, better distribution of voters to polling units, quality training of election personnel, functionality of electronic devices, improved logistics, prompt commencement of polls, availability of assistive devices for persons with disability at polling units and greater transparency in result management.
He said the Commission is aware of the security challenges and their impact on the electoral process, adding that the Commission 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.
“INEC plays a critical role but the Commission alone cannot deliver the elections we all desire. I therefore appeal to all Nigerians to joins hands with us in ensuring that we make a success of the process,” the INEC Chief said.