The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has pleaded with parties to ensure issue based campaigns, as the political activities enter the critical stage this month.
This is as the Commission finalises preparation to publish the final list of candidates for the national elections on the 20th September.
INEC had fixed 25 February 2023 for the presidential and National Assembly polls.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Thursday at the expert meeting on conducting elections in a volatile security environment, organised in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CCD), in Abuja.
He said issue based campaigns are the only way political parties can complement efforts of the commission at ensuring transparent elections in which only the votes cast by citizens determine the outcome of the polls.
He said “Activities towards the 2023 General Election will enter the critical stages this month. In the next 19 days i.e. on 20th September 2022, the Commission will publish the final list of candidates for national elections (Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives) as provided in Sec. 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released by the Commission.
” This will be followed on 4th October 2022 by the publication of the final list of candidates for State elections (Governorship and State Houses of Assembly).
This is the best way to complement our efforts to ensure transparent elections in which only the votes cast by citizens determine the winner.”
Yakubu also commended the organisers of the event, saying that the meeting is relevant because of the volatile security situation in some parts of the country and its implications on the forthcoming elections.
He also stressed that the meeting, “Is timely because the election is fast approaching but there is still time to address the security concerns ahead of the election.”
He was also of the opinion that the shared experience of participants at the meeting, specific recommendations will be made to further enrich our understanding of the security issues in the forthcoming election, the various dimensions of the challenges and, most importantly, possible measures to respond to them to ensure that elections peacefully hold nationwide as required by law.
Yakubu said the Commission welcomes any initiative or ideas from citizens to support a peaceful election.
“The Commission welcomes this initiative and as Co-Chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), there is no doubt that the security agencies also welcome ideas and citizens’ support towards peaceful elections,” he said.
