For all those who want to have a go in the electoral contest of Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday released the timetable and schedules of activities for the 2019 general elections. This simply means we are on the march again. Just like yesterday, another four year cycle is upon us. And this is what stands democracy in a better stead than all other forms of government.
Confirming earlier announced schedule, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said in Abuja that the dates for National Assembly and Presidential elections remain Feb. 16, 2019; while governorship and State House of Assembly elections, will hold on March 2, 2019. it was sometime early last year that INEC released the dates for 2019 general elections.
The INEC chief said that the conduct of party primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries for national and state elections has been slated for between August 18, 2018 and October 7, 2018. He went on to say that the conduct of parties primaries for the FCT Area Council election were included in this one year notice.
Yakubu said that political campaigns by political parties for Presidential Election and NASS elections would commence on November 18, 2018 and end on Jan. 14, 2019; while that of governorship and State Houses of Assembly would start on December 1, 2018 and end on February 28, 2019.
He said that notice for elections would be released on August 17, 2018 while collection of nomination forms for national and states elections by political parties has been fixed for between August 17, 2018 and August 24, 2018 while that of the FCT is slated from September 3, 2018 to September 10, 2018. Further more, the last date for submission of nomination forms by political parties has also been slated for December 3, 2018 for president and NASS elections, and state elections Dec 17, 2018.
INECโs plan covers the collection of nomination forms for FCT Area Council elections which will commence on Nov. 3 to Nov. 10, while the last date for the return of the nomination forms is December 14, 2018.
Continuing, the commission will on October 25, 2018 publish the personal particulars of National elections candidates and those of the statesโ houses of assembly candidates on November 9, 2018. The head of INEC equally announced November 17, 2018 as the last date for the withdrawal or replacement of candidate(s) for president and NASS elections, and December 1, 2018 for governorship and statesโ houses of assembly elections.
Yakubu said that INEC would on Jan. 2, 2019 publish notice of the polls, and on Jan. 7, 2019 publish official register of voters for the election. The chairman said that political parties were also expected to submit names of their agents for the elections on February 1, 2019. giving further breakdown, the chairman said, that 1,558 constituencies elections made up presidential, 29 governorship elections, out of which seven that are staggered will hold in 2019.
It must be noted that this is the first time this kind of elaborate schedule of election will be announced at this period of the year. This show of planning details and the simplicity involved in tackling this problem is a testament that INEC is growing and the leadership and staff of the commission have come to accept and practice global best practices. We are elated at this turn of event.
We recall when this new INEC leadership was appointed. His appointment elicited tremendous ruckus around the country. But he has steadily grown in confidence and the work is there to prove it. The work puts in by successive administrations have added to make Yakubuโs job well cut out for him. INEC is now generally known as a doing agency rather than the talking type.
It is our wish that INEC is supported by stakeholders to ensure this plan is implemented as has been well articulated. We call on individuals who are interested in any elective position to step up now. The alarm has been sounded. Also political parties must play according to the rule. Our democracy is growing and it can only get better.
