Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has disclosed that young people have formed the highest number of registered voters who would be participating in the February and March elections.
National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC, Mr. Festus Okoye, said this during the commission’s engagement with identified groups on the role of the young people in the 2023 general election.
Okoye said from INEC’s records, the young people will determine the outcome of the 2023 elections adding that out of a total of 9,518,756 valid newly registered voters between June 28, 2021 and July 31, 2022, those between the ages of 18 and 34 were 7,286,871, representing 76.56 per cent.
He also gave the total of registered voters for the general election as 93.5 million noting that 84 million registered voters participated in the 2019 general election
Okoye said the electoral process would be strictly technology-driven, adding that the commission will be deploying technology all through.
‘The commission has already taken delivery of the full number of the Bimodal Voter’s Accreditation System, for the conduct of the election at the 176,846 polling units across the federation. Additional BVAS for contingencies would be deployed to the 8,809 registration areas across the country.
The BVAS were designed to function offline, and, that only accredited voters would be allowed to cast votes on the Election Day.
Only registered voters, who present their Permanent Voters Cards at the polling unit, would be accredited to vote. Over 1.4 million ad-hoc election staff have been engaged by the commission for the conduct of the 2023 general election, and insurance policy has been secured for them against hazards of the election, especially possible attack.
Punishment for any act of electoral offence against electoral officers has been made stiffer in the current 2022 Electoral Act (as amended) than the provisions in the previous 2010 Electoral Act (as amended)’ he said.
Okoye advised any ad-hoc staff who might not be ready to resist the temptations of election rigging antics to withdraw from the exercise.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned INEC also on Tuesday released the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates of all the political parties ahead of the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections.
The publication of the final list of candidates for national elections (presidential, senatorial and federal constituencies) was pursuant to section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and item 8 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election.
The publication of the full names and addresses of all nominated candidates followed the conduct of primaries and completion of the nomination exercise by political parties.
It was also sequel to the display of the personal particulars of all nominated candidates in their constituencies nationwide as provided by section 29(3) of the Electoral Act.
Festus Okoye had earlier said validly nominated candidates had the opportunity to voluntarily withdraw their candidacy by notice in writing and could personally deliver such notices to the political parties that nominated them for the election- Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you
