Nigeria’s general election will go ahead on 25 February despite concerns about a postponement because of insecurity in parts of the country, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Mahmood Yakubu has said.
Prof Yakubu was speaking at an event organised by the Chatham House think-tank in London. He had earlier warned that rising insecurity could force the polls to be cancelled or delayed.
Nigerians are set to elect a new president at the end of February, then will elect governors and local councils two weeks after.
The INEC boss stated that there are currently 93.4 million registered voters in Nigeria out of which 37 million, that is 39 per cent, are young people between the ages of 18 and 34.
“And then they’re closely followed by 33.4 million or 35.3 per cent middle-age voters between the ages of 35 and 49.
“Put together, these two categories constitute 75.39 per cent of registered voters in Nigeria. So, actually the 2023 election is the election of the young people, because they have the numbers. Even the majority of the PVCs collected are collected by young people,” Yakubu added.
“So, out of the 93.4 million, 70.4 million registered voters are between the ages of 18 and 49,” Yakubu stated.
He said INEC had always prepared for the possibility of a presidential run-off in the last three elections and this year’s presidential election won’t be an exception. He also added that the commission is not considering the postponement of the presidential poll amid attacks on its offices nationwide.
“The truth of the matter is that for every general election, the commission prepares, at least for some time now, in the last three electoral cycles, we also prepare for that possibility,” he told participants during his appearance at the global think-tank forum.
“The reason is: until the constitution was amended, there was only one week for presidential run-off in case it happens. With the number of registered voters we have, it is almost impossible to print the ballot papers required and the result sheet and deliver them to locations and conduct the elections as required.
“So, every election since the last three electoral cycle, we also make provisions for the possibility of a presidential run-off in case it happens. If it happens, then we’ll have no issues, and this year is no exception,” Yakubu said.
