INEC Postpones Election Till Next Week (See Attached Document)

The Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) has confirmed the postponement of governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday March 11, 2023.

Recall that that were indications that the electoral body might extend the Saturday elections following the reactions of Nigerians over the ruling of Abuja court which granted the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party and APC including their lawyers access to inspect election materials including the BVAS.

The trial judge also granted INEC their request to reconfigure the BVAS ahead of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

Barr. Festus Okoye, a National Commissioner and INEC’s chairman Information and Voter Education Committee in a statement issued Wednesday night after the commission’s crucial deliberation said “Following today’s ruling by the Presidential Election Petton Tribunal (EPT) on the reconfiguration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) used for the Presidential election held on 25th February 2023, the Commission met to assess ds impact on the Commussion’s preparabons for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, 11 March 2023.

“Nigerians would recall that on 3 March 2023, the Presidential EPT had given an exparte order for some political partes to inspect matenals used for the Presidential election, including the forensic inspection of over 176 000 BVAS used in the electon which are located in INEC LGA offices across the country.

“The Commission approached the Tribunal to reconsider the order, given that the BVAS Systems were to be deployed for the Governorship and State Assembly elections and that the lack of a clearly defined timeframe for the inspection could disrupt the Commission’s ability to conduct the outstanding elections. For instance, the BVAS can only be activated on the specific date and time of an election.

“Having been used for the Presidential and National Assembly elections an 251h February 2023, it is necessary to reconfigure the BVAS for activation on the date of the Govemorship and Stale Assembly elecbons

“While the ruling of the Tnbunal makes it possible for the Commission to commence the preparation of the BVAS for the Governorship and State Assembly elections, it has come far too late for the reconfiguration to be conclude.C

“Consequently, the Commission has taken the difficult but necessary decision to reschedule the Governorship and State Assembly elections which will now take place on Saturday 18” March 2023.

“By this decision, campaigns will continue until midnight of Thursday 16 March 2023 i.e. 24 hours before the new date for the election.

This decision has not been taken lightly but # is necessary to ensure that there ts adequate time to back up the data stored on the over 176, 000 BVAS machines from the Presidential and National Assembly elecbons held on 25” February 2023 and then to reconfigure them for the Governorship and State Assembly elections.

“It has been the practice for all elections, including the period when the Commission was using the Smart Card Readers.

However, we wish to reiterate that the Commission is not against litigants inspecting election materials.

“Consequently, & will continue to grant all litigants access to the matenals they require to pursue their cases in court.

We wish to reassure all politcal parties and candidates that the data from the Presidential and National Assembly elections wil be backed up and available in INEC Cloud facilities, including the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

“Political parties can apply for Certified True Copies of the backend data of the BVAS. Also, the results on the BVAS will continue to be avaiable on the IReV for interested parties to access.

“We thank Nigerians and friends of Nigeria for their understanding as we Continue to deal with these difficull issues and navigate these challenging times.”