Speaking on the level of preparations for the rescheduled elections on Tuesday in Abuja, Yakubu
Said that no INEC Commissioner had been arrested by security agents.
He assured that with the implementation of the Commission’s six-point plan unveiled last
Saturday, personnel and all electoral materials would be in place and on time at all the
Registration Area Councils (RACs) across the country for the presidential and National
Assembly elections on Saturday, 23rd February.
Yakubu informed the stakeholders, including representatives of political parties, civil society groups,
the media and international observers, that 98 percent of the 180,000 Smart Card Readers for the
elections had already been configured, with all of them expected to be ready by 20th February,
a day ahead of the projected deadline.
Refresher training for ah-hoc polling personnel is planned for 22nd February, the Chairman said,
adding: “We are working hard, we are committed and confident that the elections will take place
as scheduled and are free, fair and credible.”
He also assured that adequate provisions had been made to ensure that registered voters in
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, and minority groups, including persons with disability
would be allowed to exercise their civic rights.
While confirming that the campaign periods had been extended as a result of the postponement of
the polls, Prof Yakubu appealed to politicians to avoid using languages that could overheat the polity.
He expressed appreciation to national and international stakeholders for their continuous
understanding over the postponement of the polls and promised that the Commission would
provide a daily update
About 84 million registered Nigerian voters will cast their ballots for a president, 29 State governors
109 senators, 991 lawmakers of the National and State Houses of Assembly, six Area Council
Chairperson and 62 Councillors in the Federal Capital Abuja from the 1,558 candidates vying for
various positions.
The incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) are the front-runners for the presidential
poll on 23rd February.
The election to fill the vacant National Assembly seats will come up on the same day, while those
for the governors and State Houses of Assembly are now slated for 9th March