14th February, 2023
By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned a document indicating that it had concluded plans to shift the date for the presidential and national assembly elections from February 25 to March 4.
The document dated Feb. 13 had indicated that INEC decided to shift the date for the election because of the current scarcity of cash in the country as a result of the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy limiting daily withdrawal and availability of the newly redesigned N200, N500 and N1000 notes.
But INEC, in message on its Twitter handle titled: “fake news alert” on Monday night described the claim that INEC is planning to postpone the election as false.
“Our attention has been drawn to a fake report circulating on the social media with the title: ‘INEC May Postpone Feb. 25 Election by a week or two.
“The commission will not and is not contemplating postponing the 2023 General Election. Nigerians should disregard it,” INEC said.
The fake news dated Feb. 13, claimed that INEC may have to shift the Feb. 25 presidential election to March 4, 2023, due to the scarcity of cash as a result of the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy limiting daily withdrawal and availability of the newly redesigned N200, N500 and N1000 notes.
Also reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said INEC had no plan to postpone the election.
“It is not true. INEC will not, and is not even contemplating postponing the 2023 general election.
“To be sure, the presidential and National Assembly election will take place on Feb. 25, while the governorship/State Houses of Assembly election will hold on March 11 as scheduled.”
(NAN)