INEC shifts governorship & state assembly elections to March 18
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved the gubernatorial and kingdom meeting elections from 11th of March to March 18.
In a meeting of its executives on Wednesday night, INEC disclosed that a logistical issue resulting from BVAS configuration and transportation prevented the poll from proceeding as scheduled. The original scheduled date for the election was March 11.
The polls had been postponed so that there would be an extra week for preparations, a representative with knowledge of the conversation told Peoples Gazette over the phone on Wednesday night. We should have everything prepared by March 18.
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The meeting was still going on at the INEC headquarters in Abuja when this item was submitted.
The commission convinced the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to change the order granting Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP permission to inspect the election materials on the grounds that it was necessary to modify the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) in order to conduct the elections this Saturday.
Details soon…
meanwhile Samson Itodo already predict this
Why March 11 governorship elections should be Postponed – Itodo
The upcoming governorship election should be postponed, according to Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, because of the reconfiguration of the BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System).
This was revealed by Itodo on Wednesday during a Channels Television interview that DAILY POST was watching.
He was responding to INEC’s appeal at the Court of Appeal to modify the BVAS device used for the National Assembly and presidential elections on February 25.
The upcoming governorship election should be postponed, according to Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, because of the reconfiguration of the BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System).
This was revealed by Itodo on Wednesday during a Channels Television interview that DAILY POST was watching.
He was responding to INEC’s appeal at the Court of Appeal to modify the BVAS device used for the National Assembly and presidential elections on February 25.
Itodo said that setting a new date for the governor’s race would be in the best interests of all parties involved.
He clarified that it is still within the Electoral Act to move up the state’s governorship elections by at least two weeks.
“We are already in a difficult situation, and to the extent that it will undermine the integrity of the process and prevent more logistical challenges during the governorship elections.
Whatever the court decides today (Wednesday), stakeholders should follow the decision. In my opinion, it is best to reschedule the election.
“What is taking place is the result and price of shattered trust; perhaps the parties would have handled this differently if everything had gone well in the first round of the election. If you open up that procedure to public inspection, INEC has two options: postpone the election for a week or two weeks. “Three days is not enough for the commission to configure the machine for the governorship election,” he added. “INEC also needs time to modify all the BVAS.
The Labour Party’s request to physically inspect the BVAS was set for hearing by the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.
The state’s general election is scheduled for March 11, 2023.
INEC shifts governorship & state assembly elections
