By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the 2022-2026 strategic plan and the election project lan for the 2023 general election.
The Chairman of the Commission, Mahmood Yakubu who stated this on Thursday at a public presentation held in Abuja said that the Commission relies on three key elements, namely, the knowledge and experience gathered from the conduct of previous elections. Second is the use of innovations to enhance electoral integrity and improve voter experience. Third is the institutionalization of the culture of planning. These elements have guided the Commission through three successive general and several off-cycle and bye elections, he stated.
He expressed gladness that the plans have been finalised ten months ahead of the 2023 General Election. Stressing that our elections are getting better, electoral outcomes less contentious, and voter experience of the electoral system increasingly more participatory and inclusive.
The INEC said the Plan also forms the basis for the Election Project Plan which focuses on five key objectives identified by the Commission as critical for the successful conduct of the 2023 General Election.
According to the INEC boss, by next week, the Commission will conclude the revision of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022. Work has also commenced on the review of the manuals for the training of election duty personnel. With the planning processes virtually completed, the Commission will now focus its attention on election technology and election administration.
He reiterated that the dates for all activities in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election are firm and fixed and urged all stakeholders to take this into consideration in planning their activities.
On the ongoing Continuous Voter registration (CVR) exercise, Mahmood said the exercise will end on 30th June 2022. He therefore called on and all eligible voters that are yet to register to do so on or before that date if they intend to vote.
He also reminded that the PVCs of validly registered voters from the first and second quarters are already available for collection at designated centres nationwide and also appealed to all Nigerians who registered between June and December 2021 to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in person as no PVCs will be collected by proxy.
INEC also reassured those who registered between January and March 2022 as well as those who are doing so until the end of the exercise that their PVCs will be ready for collection long before the 2023 General Election.
The Commission once again reiterated that PVCs have no expiry dates and that PVCs issued by the Commission remain valid for all elections. He also warned multiple registration as it is an offence under the Electoral Act. Warning that anyone engaged in the act of double or multiple registration is liable to prosecution. No citizen should engage in it or encourage others to violate the law.
INEC therefore appreciated her development partners, especially the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), for consistently supporting the Commission’s efforts to deepen electoral integrity and consolidate our democracy.