Nigerians go to the poll today to elect a new president and 468 federal lawmakers. It is the first phase of the 2023 general election with the governorship and state assembly poll holding in two weeks.
This year’s general election is the seventh since the restoration of democracy in the country. The previous elections were held in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.
The 18 registered parties are fielding candidates in today’s election, the most keen 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), Princess 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 array of the presidential hopefuls, analysts and watchers of Nigeria’s democracy have, however, dubbed the election a four-horse race between Messrs Tinubu, Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso.
Regardless, whoever emerges the winner of today’s contest will be sworn in on 29 May for a four-year term to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari whose second term in office lapses on that day.
On the other hand, over 4,000 candidates are standing for elections into the two chambers of the National Assembly. While about 1,100 are gunning for 108 out of the 109 seats in the Senate, a total of 3,057 candidates are contesting for the 360 seats in the House of Representatives. Election will not hold in Enugu East Senatorial District until 11 March because of Wednesday’s murder of the candidate of the Labour Party, Oyibo Chukwu.
The lawmakers that will be elected today will be inaugurated in June as members of the 10th session of the bi-camera federal legislature.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 93.5 million Nigerians registered to vote in the general election but a little over 87 million, who picked their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC), will actually participate in the poll. The voters, spread across the 36 states of the federation, 774 local government areas and 8,809 wards, will exercise their franchise in 176,846 polling units.
A total of 1.5 million people will serve as agents for the 18 political parties in the election.
In the main, INEC, which recently held a mock accreditation, said it is ready for the polls amid apprehension caused by the naira crisis and security challenges. Its Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, assured that it is committed to a free and fair process because its allegiance is to the country.
Apart from deploying thousands of ad hoc staff, with the NYSC contributing about 200,000 for today’s election, the electoral management body is also deploying new technologies, namely BVAS and IReV, which it believes are rigging-proof and ensure the transparency and credibility of the polls.
The security agencies and the military, on their part, said they are ready to secure the polls. To ensure a peaceful process, they will be deploying close to a million personnel in all the states and FCT with the police alone accounting for over 310,973.
Some other security outfits deploying their personnel are NSCDC (102,000), FRSC (21,783), Nigeria Correctional Service (11,336), NDLEA (9,447), EFCC (350) and Nigeria Immigration Service (21,640).
1:45pm Voter apathy in Owerri
Drama at Girls Secondary School Akwakuma polling unit in Owerri as residents refuse to vote after INEC announced that they are without result sheets. Residents insist on seeing a result sheet before voting
1:40pm Senate President Lawan casts his votes
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has cast his votes at Gashua, in Yobe state. Confirming this, Lawan wrote on his Twitter page on Saturday, February 25
1:35pm Bauchi governor votes, says BVAS efficient
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi has cast his vote in his hometown, Yelwan Duguri in the Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state. Mohammed arrived at his polling unit, Barki Dutse Primary school, Unit 8, alongside his wife, Aisha on Saturday, February 25. Hailing the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), for the efficiency of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the governor said
1:30pm "My prayer is for Tinubu’s victory despite low turnout" - El-Rufai
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna has said his prayer is for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to win. El-Rufai at his polling unit on Saturday, February 25, decried the low turnout of voters across the state and reported cases of the ballot and BVAS missing in some parts. The powerful northern governor called residents to come out and exercise their franchise.
12:23pm Obasanjo votes, hails BVAS
Olusegun Obasanjo, a former Nigeria president, voted at his polling unit 2, ward 11 situated inside Olushomi compound, Totoro – Sokori in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State at about 10:40 am. Obasanjo noted Nigeria was making progress in its electoral process with the Bimodal Voter’s Accreditation System (BVAS). The former president who arrived at the polling unit around 10.25 am, noted the BVAS ensured the credibility, transparency, and fairness of the election
11:45am Voting ongoing at Peter Obi's polling unit
Election process ongoing at the polling unit of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, at his Aguleri county home, Anaocha LGA of Anambra state. However, Obi yet to cast his vote.
11:47am Peter Obi, wife cast vote at his polling unit
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, and his wife have both cast their votes in his polling unit in Anambra
11:45am Kwankwaso casts votes in Kano
The New Nigerian People Party, NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has just arrived at his polling unit, Tandu, PU 005 in Madobi LGA to cast his vote in the ongoing 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections. He expressed optimism about his emergence as president while speaking with journalists.
11:37am Buhari, Aisha cast votes in Daura, Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha, have cast their votes in Daura, Katsina.
10:35am Tinubu casts his vote
The APC's presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, has cast his vote at his polling unit in Ikeja, Lagos state.
10:23am Bola Tinubu arrives Polling Unit
Rowdiness everywhere, security overwhelmed as Bola Tinubu makes effort to cast his vote at his polling unit in Lagos state.
