The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timetable for the 2019 general election, stating, among other things, that the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on the same day, February 12, 2019.
Here are other highlights of the timetable, which was announced on Tuesday by Mahmood Yakubu, INEC’s National Chairman, during a press conference.
- Publication of Notice for National and State Elections to take place on August 17; that of the FCT Area Council Elections will be on September 3, 2018.
- Collection of nomination forms by political parties for national and state elections begins August 11 to 24; while that of the FCT Area Council elections takes place from November 3 to 10, 2018.
- Commencement of campaign for Presidential and National Assembly Elections fixed for November 18; that of Governorship and State Assembly elections begins December 1 while that of FCT Area Council elections starts December 2, 2018.
- Deadline for submission of nomination forms to INEC is December 3 for Presidential and National Assembly Elections; December 17 for Governorship and State Assembly and December 14 for FCT Area Council Elections.
- Last day for campaigns for Presidential and National Assembly Elections is Valentine’s Day – February 14, 2019, while that of Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council Elections stops on February 28.
- Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold same day, February 16, 2019.
- Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections will also hold on the same day, March 2, 2019, two weeks after the presidential election.
Going forward, Yakubu said INEC had decided “that henceforth our Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on the 3rd Saturday of the month of February of each election year, while Governorship and State Assembly elections will hold two weeks later”.
“When the end of tenure of the FCT Area Councils coincide with the general election, the FCT Council elections are to be combined with the Governorship and State Assembly elections,” Yakubu said.
“Today [Tuesday], 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.
“The Commission is moving away from the culture of quick-fix, fire brigade approach to the management of elections in Nigeria. As our democracy matures, the planning and implementation of electoral activities should be predictable and systematic.”
A further breakdown shows that INEC will conduct election 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”.
Also, INEC issued certificates to 21 new political parties that registered in December 2017.