The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has disclosed that the 2023 Presidential election will hold on February 18, 2023.
Mr Yakubu made the disclosure on Thursday while delivering his goodwill message at the inauguration of the special adhoc committee on the review of the 1999 constitution.
According to him, Nigeria has about 855 days to the next general election.
Yakubu added that before 2015 general elections, INEC came out with the general principle that election would be held on the second Saturday in February, adding that such is the practice in the U.S. and Ghana.
“Going by this decision, from today we will have 855 days to the general election; so we have very limited time for the constitutional review,” he stated.
Prof. Dakas Dakas, the Guest Speaker at the inauguration called on the committee to address the issues of referendum, restructuring and devolution of powers among others.
He urged the committee to make the review a truly Nigeria constitution, saying the imperative of the peoples constitution is germane to the survival of Nigeria.
Daka,a professor of law called on the lawmakers to avoid pitfalls in their quest to review the 1999 constitution, stressing that their priorities should be that the peoples’ expectations were met.
He stressed the need to engage the citizenry and inspire confidence that the exercise would be credible, adding that the mistakes of the past should be avoided.
“Because we have had in the past, during the constitution amendment, the third term agenda which invariably scuttled the exercise, a number of Nigerians have asked whether this exercise is needed.
“So there is a need to inspire confidence in Nigerians and let them know that it will be credible and also reflect their wishes,” he said.
He said there was need to enlist the support of the media, both mainstream and social media, adding that the committee must reach out to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Civil Society Organisations (CSO).
He also said it should meet Faith Based Organisations, State Houses of Assembly and other critical stakeholders to harvest their views on the review.
He said that parochial and self interest must be jettisoned adding that religion and ethnicity must not be allowed in the course of the assignment.
According to him, do not allow constitutional overreach and avoid the arrogance of power by leading by the power of your example and not by example of your power.
