‘Why INEC fixed 2019 elections dates early’

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmoud Yakubu, has explained that the reason why the commission fixed dates for the 2019 elections early was to encourage all stakeholders in the political process to prepare ahead of the poll.

Yakubu also said, besides the presidential election slated for February 16, 2019, the commission will conduct elections throughout 2019, including 68 elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The INEC boss disclosed this in Abuja, at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room dialogue in Abuja.

According to him, there will be one presidential election, 29 governorship polls, 109 senatorial constituencies polls, 360 federal constituencies and 991 state constituencies.

“The date engenders certainty in the election calendar. You know when the election will hold. So, it enables you to plan.

“We are particularly interested in this because 2019 will be a year full of elections. We will have the national election and in addition, the tenure of chairmen and councilors of the six area councils will come to an end. So we will conduct 68 elections in FCT.

“Also the tenures of the governors of Kogi and Bayelsa will also come to an end towards the end of 2019. So we start the year with election and end it with election. So there are so many elections to hold and there is wisdom in planning well in advance. The nation must move away from the culture of last minute rush. There must be certainty in the calendar of our elections.”

He said the commission had only fixed a date for the general election but yet to release the calendar and time table.

On his part, Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Clement Nwankwo expressed concern over the vacant Resident Electoral Commissioners’ positions in 33 states of the federation.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately send the names of the nominees to the National Assembly for approval.