INEC publishes Notice of Election (Form EC 60A)
By Emma Ogbuehi
With the signing into law of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has flagged off the 2023 elections in earnest.
Buhari signed the Bill into law on Friday, February 25 after much delay.
On Monday, INEC published the Notice of Election (Form EC60A) for the 2023 general elections.
Through the Form EC60A, the electoral body released a comprehensive timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 polls.
The Commission tweeted @inecnigeria: “And in line with the first activity in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election, the Commission hereby publishes the Notice of Election (Form EC 60A) today, Monday 28th February 2022”.
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From the schedule of activities, the 2023 polls begin on February 25 with the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The President assented to the bill on Friday at a brief ceremony held at the Council Chamber of the Aso Villa in Abuja.
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, witnessed the signing of the bill.
The exercise came barely a week to the expiration of the window the President had to take a decision on the proposed legislation, as required by the Nigerian Constitution.
The National Assembly transited the Bill to the President for assent on January 31. His delay in signing it into law aroused curiosity among stakeholders including political actors and civil society groups.
The leading opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had at a time accused the president of trying to evade appending his signature on the Bill.
INEC also expressed concern at the delay, warning that the failure of the President to assent to the bill, would have drastic implications on the 2023 general elections.
With the assent, processes leading to the 2023 general elections, were expected to begin to take shape and accordingly, INEC has swung into action.