More than 7m eligible voters yet to register – INEC

Professor Yakubu Mahmoud, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that 7.9 million other voters have registered with Rivers, Anambra, Borno, Delta, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Osun, Enugu, Kano and Plateau States as the top ten states with such registrations.

INEC had had recently announced dates for general elections in the country for the next 36 years.

This covers the 2019 elections up to the year 2055.

The INEC Chairman announced the decision at a meeting with leaders of political parties in the nation’s capital, Abuja on Wednesday.

According to the INEC chairman, the general elections will be held on February 16 and March 2 in 2019; February 18 and March 4 in 2023.

The commission picked February 20 and March 6 for the 2027 general elections; February 15 and March 1 were picked for 2031.

Other dates are February 17 and March 3 for 2035; February 19 and March 5 for 2039; February 21 and March 7 for 2043.

“In 2047, it is February 15 and March 2; in 2051, it is February 18 and March 1; in 2055, it is February 20 and March 6,” Professor Yakubu added.

He explained that by having fixed dates for elections would enable Nigeria to adopt global best practices in growing its democracy.

But the INEC boss is concerned over the turnout of the registration exercise and notes that the call is not only by the commission but by members of the civil society organisations.