2023: No Plans To Postpone General Election – INEC Chairman Insists

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that it has no plans to postpone the forthcoming general election which commences in barely three weeks.

Naija News reports that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Thursday emphasised that elections would hold as scheduled and plans haven’t changed.

The INEC boss reteirated the commission’s stand when he received the new Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. General Yushu’a Ahmed on Thursday.

It was gathered that Yakubu was reacting to reports that the commission might be postponing the polls.

Naija News learnt that reports emerged on Wednesday morning claiming INEC may postpone the February 25 presidential election by a minimum of two weeks due to logistics issues.

It was gathered that the incessant burning of INEC offices across the country and the insecurity challenges in the South-East and North- East may force the electoral body to shift the election by 14 days.

Speaking to 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, in his brief remarks today, Yakubu cleared the air saying the election would hold as planned as the commission has no plans to shift any of the elections.

He told Ahmed how lucky the commission was to have a large pool of youths, who are largely corp members ready for deployment in the elections.

The INEC boss noted that no electoral commission can conduct any election based on its own staff strength alone across countries of the world.

He, therefore, assured the new NYSC boss of the safety of corp members during the election.

Ahmed also gave his words that the commitment of the NYSC to the delivery of credible polls in the country was unshakable.