INEC releases schedules for 2019 general elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, 16th February, while the Governorship and State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council elections have been scheduled for Saturday, 2nd March 2019.

This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Prince Solomon Soyebi, at a press conference held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Prince Soyebi pointed out that the Commission believed that there should be certainty with regards to the timetable for elections as obtained in other countries with advanced democracies. “In order to ensure certainty in our dates for Political Parties, Security Agencies, candidates and all stakeholders, the Commission has decided to fix the date for the National Elections for the third Saturday in February of the election year, followed by State elections two weeks later”.

He continued: “to that extent, the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections will hold on Saturday, 16thFebruary 2019, while the Governorship/State Assembly/Federal Capital Territory Area Council Elections will hold on Saturday 2nd March 2019”.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that political campaigns by political parties for Presidential Election and NASS elections would commence on Nov. 18 and end on Jan. 14, 2019; while that of governorship and State Houses of Assembly would start on Dec. 1 and end on Feb. 28, 2019.

He said that notice for elections would be released on Aug. 17, while collection of nomination forms for national and states elections by political parties has been fixed for between Aug 17 and Aug. 24, while that of the FCT is slated from Sept. 3 to Sept 10.

The chairman said that the last date for submission of nomination forms by political parties has also been scheduled for Dec. 3 for president and NASS elections, and state elections Dec. 17.

He also said that the collection of nomination forms for FCT Area Council elections would commence on Nov. 3 to Nov. 10, while the last date for the return of the nomination forms is Dec. 14.

The commission, according to Yakubu, would on Oct 25 publish the personal particulars of National elections candidates on Oct. 25 and those of the state candidates on Nov. 9.

He also announced Nov. 17 as the last date for the withdrawal or replacement of candidate(s) for president and NASS elections, and Dec. 1 for governorship and state house of assembly elections.

Yakubu said that the 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 Feb. 1, 2019.