Buhari approves indefinite suspension of 2023 census

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the postponement of the forthcoming census.

The exercise was billed to take place across the country between May 3 and 5.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, announced the postponement in a statement issued on Saturday.

He said the new date for the census will be determined by the incoming administration.

“The President gave the approval after meeting with some members of the Federal Executive Council and the Chairman of the National Population Commission and his team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday (28 April 2023),” the statement reads.

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“In arriving at the decision to postpone the Census, the meeting reiterated the critical need for the conduct of a Population and Housing Census, 17 years after the last Census, to collect up-to-date data that will drive the developmental goals of the country and improve the living standard of the Nigerian people.

However, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, refused to grant the motion ex parte and asked the applicant to put the defendant, the NPC, on notice.

Ekwo said the NPC should appear in court to show cause why the applicant’s motion should not be granted.

The matter was adjourned until May 5.