INEC releases date for final list of presidential, governorship candidates ahead of the 2023 election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has disclosed that the final list of candidates for Presidential, Senate, House of Representatives, and Governorship candidates alongside State Houses of Assembly will be published on September 20th and October 4th respectively ahead of the 2023 poll.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the ”Expert Meeting on Conducting Nigeria’s 2023 General Elections in Volatile Security Environment”.

The event was organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in conjunction with INEC.

Yakubu said that the publication of the final list was in line with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities released by the commission.

”Campaign in public by political parties will officially commence on Sept. 28 as provided for by Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

”As campaigns commence, we appeal to all political parties and candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns.

“This is the best way to complement our efforts to ensure transparent elections in which only the votes cast by citizens determine the winner,” he said.

Yakubu said activities for the 2023 General Elections would enter critical stages this month from the next 19 days onward.

“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.