INEC fixes dates for general elections

Nigeria Electoral commission Tuesday fixed Saturday 16th February 2019 as the date for Presidential and Parliamentary elections

According to the timetable released by the body,  Govemorship and State Assembly elections will hold on Saturday 2nd March 2019.

According to the timetable, the campaign for presidential and National Assembly elections will start on Nov. 18, while the campaign for the governorship will begin on Nov. 2.

Party primaries and the resolution of disputes arising from primaries  have been fixed for between August 18, 2018 to October 7, 2018 for national and state elections.

The electoral body chairman, Mahamood Yakubu told a news conference in Abuja,Nigeria Capital that the commission arrived at the schedule of activities after its meeting held in Abuja,Tuesday.

According to him, the Publication of Notice of Election for National and State Elections would be on August 17, 2018 while that of the FCT Area Council Elections would be done on September 3, 2018.

Political Parties are expected to Collect nomination forms for national and state elections from August 11 to 24 while that of the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections would be between November 3 and 10, 2018.

The last day for the submission of nomination forms to the electoral body is December 3, 2018 for Presidential and National Assembly Elections; December 17 for Governorship and State Assembly and December 14, 2018 for the FCT Area Council Elections.

The electoral commission fixed the last day for campaigns for February 14, 2019 for Presidential and National Assembly Elections as well as February 28, 2018 for Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council Elections.

“Today, it is exactly 402 days to the opening of polling units nationwide at 8am on Saturday 16th February 2019. As political parties and candidates canvass the support of the electorate, the Commission wishes to appeal to all and sundry to eschew bitterness and conduct their activities with decorum. The 2015 General Election was a watershed in the history of our democracy. The Commission is determined to build on this legacy by ensuring that our elections keep getting better”, Yakubu said .

“In 2019 the Commission will conduct elections for 1,558 Constituencies made up of one Presidential Constituency, 29 Governorship constituencies out of 36 (7 Governorship elections are staggered and conducted off-cycle), 109 Senatorial Districts, 360 Federal Constituencies, 991 State Assembly Constituencies, 6 Area Council Chairmen as well as 62 Councillorship positions for the FCT”, Yakubu added. He said INEC will also issue certificates of registration to 21 new political parties who were registered last month.