The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the nation is entering the critical stages ahead of the 2023 general elections and that all hands must be on deck to ensure the success of the elections.
The INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the 'Expert Meeting on Conducting Elections in Volatile Security Environment', organised in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
"Activities towards the 2023 general elections will enter the critical stages this month. In the next 19 days, that is on September 20, the commission will publish the final list of candidates for national elections (presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives) as provided in Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released by the commission.
"This will be followed on October 4, by the publication of the final list of candidates for state elections (governorship and state houses of assembly). Campaign in public by political parties will officially commence on September 28 as provided by Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022," Yakubu said.
The INEC boss also urged all political parties and candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns.
He also commended the CDD for providing a platform for stakeholders to discuss as an important enabler to the full participation of citizens in the electoral process, that is election security.
He said by bringing together experts, senior security officials and the INEC leadership to share experiences and discuss security concerns ahead of the 2023 general elections, CDD hopes to kick start further collaborative engagements among stakeholders around the security challenges ahead of the elections.
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"It is timely because the election is fast approaching, but there is still time to address the security concerns ahead of the election," he said.
Speaking earlier, the Director, CDD, Idayat Hassan, said the event was important especially as the coming 2023 elections would be the seventh consecutive elections since the return to democracy in 1999 and also being the second time Nigeria is having a transition from one government to another government.
She said the prevailing insecurity across the country is a source of concern which must be addressed, especially as they are not the normal electoral violence, but which can also add to the electoral violence, pre, during and post-election period in the country.
Also, the Director (Development) Foreign Commonwealth and Development, Dr. Chris Pycroft, who also represented the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, said the 2023 elections are very critical and that security is a top priority in the relationship between the British and Nigerian governments.
