Prof Yakubu -We’re Working To Avoid Election Postponements

The chairmanship nominee of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu has said that the Commission was working hard to ensure that scheduled elections are not postponed again.

He stated this on Thursday at his confirmation hearing organized by the Senate Committee on INEC.

He said one of the challenges the Commission had faced was the postponement of the 2019 elections by a week.

Yakubu said it was tough for him because he had to address the nation at 2am and the world press conference later in the afternoon same day to explain why the elections were postponed.

He said INEC had listed 1508 activities to be conducted before 2023 elections.

Ask senate to give Electoral Act in 2021 Q1

Yakubu appealed to the the National Assembly to expedite work on the amendment of Electoral Act.

He stated that the amended electoral framework was germane to the conduct of 2023 general elections.

He said elections cannot be conducted in an atmosphere of uncertainty, adding that work on the electoral framework has to be finalized before 2023 elections would be conducted.

“I want to appeal to the Senate to please expedite work on the Electoral Act so that we can conduct elections in an atmosphere of certainty,” he said.

“I hope you will give us electoral Act by the end of first quarter of 2021,” he appealed.

The screening is ongoing.