Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the presidential election will be held on February 25, 2023.

Yakubu made the announcement at a media briefing in Abuja on Saturday. He said the national assembly election would be held on the same day, but the gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections will be held on March 11, 2023, he said.

INEC made the statement hours after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.

According to The Cable, Yakubu said the 2023 polls are scheduled to commence on February 18, 2023, with the presidential and national assembly elections, followed by the governorship and state house of assembly elections on March 4.

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However, he said the commission was unable to release a full calendar of activities due to the pending enactment of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The electoral act provides strict timelines for the implementation of electoral activities based on the date of the general election. One of the significant timelines is the publication of a notice of election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for holding an election, which has now lapsed for the 2023 general election,” he said.

“Consequently, the commission has decided to adjust the dates of the 2023 general election to ensure compliance with the provisions of the new law.”

He said that between April 4, 2022, and June 3, 2022, parties can have primaries and work out any problems they have.

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Submission of nomination forms for the presidential and national assembly elections will be accepted through the INEC online portal from June 10 to June 17, 2022, at 6 pm, while those for the governorship and state houses of assembly will be accepted between July 1 and 15.

The presidential and national assembly campaigns begin officially on September 28, while gubernatorial and state assembly campaigns begin on October 12.

All presidential and national assembly campaigns are expected to end at midnight on February 23, 2023. The gubernatorial and state assembly campaigns are expected to end on March 9, 2023.