The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Professor Mahmood Yakubu has given an insight into the demographics of the new registrants, 7.2 million new voters or 76.5% are young people between 18-34 years while there is a slightly higher number of female (4.8 million or 50.82%) than male (4.6 million or 49.18%) voters. In terms of occupation, 3.8 million (40.8%) are students.
INEC Chairman, Prof Yakubu made the disclosure on Wednesday during the Commission’s quarterly meeting with political parties in Abuja.
He noted that a total of 9,518,188 million new voters to the existing 84,004,084 million voters register, bringing the preliminary number of prospective voters in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria now stands at 93,522,272 million.
The INEC boss also reiterated its commitment to the transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time for the 2023 elections.
"There is no going back on the transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time on Election Day. There will be no Incident Form that enables ineligible persons to vote using other people’s Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) during elections. We are committed to ensuring that the 2023 General Election is transparent and credible, reflecting the will of the Nigerian people", he reassured.
Prof Yakubu urged all political party leaders to remain committed to peaceful electioneering, adding that, the Commission will continue to work together to remove encumbrances to the right of parties and candidates to freely canvass for the support of the electorate. "The Commission will continue to track the campaigns and will not hesitate to initiate the prosecution of violators as provided by law".
In his remark, the National Chairman of Nigeria’s umbrella body for all political parties, otherwise known as Inter-Party Advisory Council, (IPAC), Engineer Yabagi Yusuf Sani reiterates the continual commitment of IPAC to the longstanding cooperation and mutually beneficial relationship.
He reaffirmed the confidence of IPAC in the leadership of INEC for its consistent demonstration of diligence, uncommon zeal and patriotism in the pursuit of the agency's statutory mandate.
Engr Sani said, the leadership of IPAC condemned the emerging antics and smear campaign by certain shadowy and cowardly figures who are clearly have embarked on the treacherous and unpatriotic conspiracy of reversing the outstanding landmarks, the INEC has recorded in recent years in the annals of the nation's electoral history.
"The real target of the machinations is the circumvention of the deployment of the Biomodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, the Electronic Transfer of results and the other security devices INEC has deftly and painstakingly put in place to enhance the integrity of the electoral process.
"You can count on the usual support of IPAC, and as it is, the goodwill and backing of most citizens of the country in the present circumstance. We urge you to remain steadfast and strong in the consciousness that, you have your hard-earned reputation to protect; that the eyes of the entire nation and indeed, the wider global community are keenly focused on you", he stated.
The IPAC Chairman therefore called on the nation's security agencies and other relevant bodies to, gear up in the performance of their statutory responsibilities professionally and objectively.
The quarterly meeting with the Political Parties was well attended by Chairmen and Leaders of Political Parties, National Commissioners, Directors and other Senior Officials of the Commission.