With less than six months to Nigeria’s seventh democratic election since 1999, preparations are in top gear to elect the country’s next set of leaders across all levels of government. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Electoral Act 2022 into law back in February, after which political parties held primaries for all electable positions.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in June, 2022 extended the deadline for Nigerians to participate in the voters registration exercise before eventually suspending the process on the 31st of July 2022. To consider what happens next in the country’s electoral space, Brief highlights INEC’s timetable for the next two months.
August
Nigeria’s electoral body has two significant events scheduled for the month of August, including August 8th and August 18th. While August 8th is the last day for the submission of nomination forms of Presidential and National Assembly nominated candidates, August 18th is the last day for the submission of nomination forms of Governorship and State House of Assembly candidates by political parties. This is to enable political parties to comply with Section 30 (1) of the Electoral Act of 2022, which mandates that all the names of the nominated candidates should be submitted to the commission in written format.
September
According to INEC’s calendar, the commission would, on the 20th of September 2022, publish a final list of nominated candidates for both the National Assembly and the presidential elections. This is in accordance with Section 32 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the commission to publish nominated candidates 150days before the elections. This list would clarify the conflicts involving Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, former governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio, Governor Umahi of Ebonyi State and others.
On the 28th September 2022, political campaigns for the nominated candidates contesting in the National Assembly and presidential elections officially begin. And end 24 hours before the election date of 25th February 2023.
October
INEC scheduled the 4th of October 2022 for publishing the final list of nominated candidates for both Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. This also beats the 150 days of Section 32 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022.
For Governorship and State Houses of Assembly nominated candidates, commencement of campaigns officially begins on the 12th of October 2022 and ends 24 hours before the election date of 11th March 2023.