Reports from the Abuja office of election umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC indicate that the presidential election scheduled to take place on February 25, 2023 may be moved by two weeks because of the incessant burning of INEC offices across the country and the insecurity challenges in the South-East and North- East geo-political zones.
According to a report by Daily Independent, a senior INEC official stated that while the electoral body is determined to stick with the scheduled date, recent developments in the country may force it to announce an extension.
He said: “The Commission is doing all it can to stick to the announced dates but given the numerous challenges being witnessed across the country, such as the burning of our offices, insecurity challenges and attack on INEC officials, lingering fuel scarcity coupled with problems arising from the Naira redesign, I won’t be surprised if the election is postponed by two weeks minimum.”
However, the Commissioner for information and voter education of INEC, Festus Okoye denied any plans to extend the election.
According to Okoye, the dates fixed for the conduct of the elections remain firm.
The dates fixed by the Commission for the conduct of the 2023 general election are fixed and firm,” he said.
Also commenting on plans to postpone the election, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Rotimi Oyekanmi said there are no plans to shift the elections.
He said: “Not at all. The Commission is not even contemplating shifting the 2023 General election”.
