Nigerians go to the polls today to elect a new president and 468 members of the federal parliament. This is the first phase of the 2023 general elections with governorship and state assembly elections in two weeks.
This year’s general election is the seventh since the restoration of democracy in the country. Previous elections were held in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.
18 registered parties will nominate candidates in today’s election, the most vibrant in Nigeria’s contemporary political history.
The presidential candidates and their parties are Christopher Imumolen (Accord), Hamza Al-Mustapha (AA), Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Dumebi Kachikwu (ADC), Yabani Sani (ADP), Bola Tinubu (APC), Peter Umeadi (APGA). , Putri Ojei (APM) and Charles Nnadi (APP).
Others are Sunday Adenuga (BP), Peter Obi (LP), Rabi’u Kwankwaso (NNPP), Felix Osakwe (NRM), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Kola Abiola (PRP), Adebayo Adewole (SDP), Ado Ibrahim Abdulmalik ( YPP) and Dan Nwanyanwu (ZLP).
Despite the variety of presidential candidates, analysts and observers of Nigerian democracy, however, chose the election as a four-horse race between Messrs. Tinubu, Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso.
Regardless, whoever wins today’s pageant will be sworn in on May 29 for four years of success. President Muhammadu Buhari his second term in office lapses in the day.
On the other hand, more than 4,000 candidates stood for election in the two chambers of the National Assembly. While about 1,100 won 108 out of 109 seats in the Senate, a total of 3,057 candidates competed for 360 seats in the Senate. People’s Representative Council. Elections will not hold in Enugu East Senatorial District until March 11 due to the killing of Labor Party candidate, Oyibo Chukwu on Wednesday.
The parliamentarians who will be elected today will be inaugurated in June as members of the 10th session of the bi-cameral federal legislature.
According to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 93.5 million Nigerians registered to vote in the general election but more than 87 million, who voted for Permanent Voter Cards (PVC), will participate in the polls. Voters, spread across 36 states of the federation, 774 local government areas and 8,809 districts, will exercise their franchise in 176,846 polling units.
A total of 1.5 million people will be agents for 18 political parties in the election.
Notably, INEC, which recently held a mock accreditation, said it was ready for the polls amid the anxiety caused by the naira crisis and security challenges. Its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, assured that he is committed to a free and fair process as he is loyal to the country.
In addition to deploying thousands of ad hoc staff, with the NYSC contributing about 200,000 to the current election, the election management body is also using new technologies, namely BVAS and IReV, which are believed to be rigging-proof and ensure the transparency and credibility of polls. .
Security agencies and the military, for their part, said they were ready to secure the polls. To ensure a peaceful process, they will be deployed close to a million personnel in all states and FCT with the police alone accounting for over 310,973.
Some other security outfits deploying personnel are NSCDC (102,000), FRSC (21,783), Nigeria Correctional Service (11,336), NDLEA (9,447), EFCC (350) and Nigeria Immigration Service (21,640).
Currently, political parties and their candidates at the national and subnational levels have signed a pact to ensure a violence-free process.
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A total of 229 observer groups including 196 domestic observers and 33 international observers will also deploy 146,913 observers for the election. Some foreign observers are drawn from the European Union, Commonwealth, African Union, ECOWAS, NDI and IRI. In addition, media organizations and other relevant bodies have been accredited by the election management body to monitor the election.
Of course, today’s general election presents another great opportunity for Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy, to test the 2022 Electoral Act signed by Mr. Buhari exactly one year ago on February 25. The President, in various forums, has promised to give the country a sustainable democratic culture that will last forever.
PREMIUM TIMES has sent a reporter to observe the election and will bring you live updates on the exercise. Also follow us on Facebook and Twitter account.
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