The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has admitted that the last Saturday presidential and National Assembly elections raises a number of issues that require immediate, medium and long-term solutions.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this on Saturday in Abuja at a meeting with the Resident Electoral commissioners (RECs) held at the INEC headquarters, Abuja.
He said, “It is imperative to review performance and assess preparations. No doubt, last week’s national elections raised a number of issues that require immediate, medium, and long-term solutions.
“The planning for the election was painstakingly done. However, its implementation came with challenges, some of them unforeseen. The issues of logistics, election technology, behaviour of some election personnel at different levels, attitude of some party agents and supporters added to the extremely challenging environment in which elections are usually held in Nigeria.”
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The INEC boss said he appreciated the sacrifice and doggedness of Nigerians and the dignity and maturity displayed by political leaders even in the context of divergent views about the election.
Yakubu said that a lot of lessons had been learnt and of immediate concern to the commission is how the identified challenges can be addressed ahead of the next Saturday’s governorship and state houses of aassembly elections in 28 states.
The chairman also said that for the last Saturday’s elections, winners had been declared for 423 national legislative seats while supplementary elections would be held in 46 constituencies.
According to him, in the Senate, 98 out of 109 seats had been declared, with seven political parties winning senatorial seats while in the House of Representatives, 325 out of 360 seats had been won by eight political parties.
He noted that in terms of party representation, this is the most diverse National Assembly since 1999.
He said that in the Senate APC has 57 seats, APGA 1, LP 6, NNPP 2, PDP 29, SDP 2, YPP 1; while in the House of Representatives, ADC 2, APC 162, APGA 4, LP 34, NNPP 18, PDP 102, SDP 2, YPP 1.
He said, “Certificates of Return will be presented to Senators-elect on Tuesday 7th March 2023 at 11.00am at the National Collation Centre (the International Conference Centre), Abuja, while Members of the House of Representatives-elect will receive theirs the following day, Wednesday 8th March 2023, at 11.00am at the same venue.
“However, for effective crowd management, each Senator/Member-elect should be accompanied by a maximum of two guests.”
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