Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, declared on Wednesday that preparations for the 2023 general elections have started.
Yakubu made the declaration in an interview with State House correspondents in Abuja after he took the oath of office for his second term.
He announced that INEC would work with the National Assembly effect changes to nation’s Electoral Act to enable the umpire confront the challenges that lie ahead.
The 2023 general election, especially the choice of a president, has been seen as a watershed in Nigeria’s history, coming amidst political and social upheavals in the country. It is also significant as a decision has to be made on which part of the country should produce the next president.
Yakubu took the oath before the President Muhammadu Buhari at the start of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He promised that conduct of elections will continue to get better under his watch.
“We have clearly demonstrated in recent elections that elections are getting better and they will continue to get better.
“The National Assembly is holding a public hearing on the amendment of the electoral legal framework. This is important and this time around, working with the National Assembly, we will ensure a speedy passage of the amendment bill and once it is assented to, it will help us enormously in confronting the challenges ahead.
“Preparations for 2023 general elections have proceeded in earnest. We need certainty and therefore the electoral legal framework is fundamental, without which we cannot formulate our regulations and guidelines.
“Without our regulations and guidelines, we cannot conclude work on the manual for the training of ad-hoc staff for the elections.
“So from here, I am going to proceed to the National Assembly, so work begins in earnest and we have already started.”
