Confusion Hits Nigeria Over 2019 Presidential Election Postponement

Following rumours that it has postponed the General election scheduled for Saturday, February 16th, 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has spoken on the issue.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has postponed Nigeria’s Presidential Election a few hours before polling is due to open on Saturday morning.

The electoral body is facing difficulty distributing sensitive electoral materials to some states of the federation, an official said.

Members of the commission had an emergency meeting for about 6 hours and emerged to announce the postponement of the Presidential election for one week.

The meeting, which began Friday evening, was still in progress up till 1.30 a.m.

As journalists keep vigil at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the chief press secretary to INEC’s chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has informed the newsmen that the commission has taken a decision after a crucial meeting attended by the chairman and 12 national commissioners.

The new date is February 23rd.

Presidential and National Assembly elections were scheduled to take place throughout the country today, while governorship and state assembly elections will take place on 2 March.

The national elections are expected to hold at 119,973 polling units across the country while collation of results will take place in 8,809 Registration Areas or Wards, 774 Local Government Areas and 36 States and the FCT.

It will not be the first time that the commission would postpone a scheduled general election.

In 2015, the presidential election was shifted from February 14 to March 28th, 2015; while the governorship and assembly elections scheduled for 28 February were shifted to 11 April.

Live update: Press briefing by the Hon. Chairman INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on #NigeriaDecides2019⁠ ⁠election below;

Live update: Press briefing by the Hon. Chairman INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on #NigeriaDecides2019⁠ ⁠ elections https://t.co/S9ZTPbrBuK

— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) February 16, 2019