No Plans To Postpone 2023 Presidential Election, INEC Insists

The Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC) has said it is

not contemplating any adjustment

to the election timetable, let alone

postponing the 2023 general election.

There were feelers on Wednesday

that the Commission was planning

to shift the February 25 presidential

election by a minimum of two weeks

citing logistics issues.

However, in a chat with LEADERSHIP in Abuja yesterday the national commissioner and chairman Information and Voter Education of INEC, Festus Okoye denied any plan for the postponement of the general election.

He reiterated that 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 affirming Okoye’s position, the chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said there are no plans to shift the elections.

When asked if there were plans

to extend the polls, he said, “Not

at all. The commission is not even

contemplating shifting the 2023

general election.”

A national daily (not LEADERSHIP)

had earlier reported 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.

The report noted that 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 INEC offices, insecurity challenges and attack on INEC officials, lingering fuel scarcity coupled with problems arising from the Naira redesign, the elections may be postponed.