The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has projected about 95 million voter population for the 2023 General Election.
INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who stated this at the Election Security Management Training organised by the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, on Thursday, said the figure indicates over 20 million more than the combined voter population of the other 14 countries in West Africa.
Yakubu noted that election preparations, deployment and implementation in Nigeria constitute the most extensive mobilization that could happen in a country, whether in peacetime or in wartime.
“In Nigeria, it involves the recruitment and training of staff and managing the logistics for their deployment to 176,846 polling units spread across 8,809 electoral wards, 774 local areas and 37 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“It also involves a projected voter population of about 95 million for the 2023 General Election which is over 20 million more than the combined voter population of the other 14 countries in West Africa. Voters will also elect candidates for 1,491 constituencies (1 presidential constituency, 28 governorship elections, 109 senatorial districts, 360 federal constituencies and 993 state assembly seats).
“Ensuring the safety and security of voters, election personnel and materials, candidates, party agents, observers, the media and transporters are enormous. This responsibility has become more challenging in the context of the current security situation in the country,” he said.
The INEC chairman, who thanked the Inspector General of Police for convening workshop on security management training for Police and other security personnel ahead of the 2023 General Election, said the initiative does not begin and end in Abuja but extends to the six geo-political zones.
He expressed the commission’s support for the laudable initiative, adding that INEC will fully participate in the training workshops nationwide.
“I wish to reassure the Inspector General of Police, heads of other security agencies and all members of ICCES that the Commission will continue to work in synergy with you to ensure a safe and secure environment for the 2023 General Election. It is a critical election and we must all continue to work together to protect the will of the Nigerian people.
“In the next few weeks, the code of conduct as well as our training manuals will be revised to align them with the provisions with the Electoral Act 2022 and to consolidate on the professionalism displayed by the security agencies in the recent off-cycle elections. We will also intensify our cascade training for security personnel ahead of the 2023 General Election,” he said.
