Kenneth Okonkwo, the politician and veteran Nollywood actor, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider rescheduling the 2027 general elections in the country.
According to him, he is disappointed that INEC did not schedule all elections for 2027, including the presidential and governorship polls, to hold on the same day.
He argued that Nigeria doesn’t have huge financial resources to accommodate the logistics involved in having elections on two different days within two weeks.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain added that security and economic challenges may also make it difficult for Nigerians to return to vote two weeks after voting for the first time, according to the election timetable released by INEC.
Okonkwo therefore urged the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to reschedule all the elections to hold on one day.
He argued that this will also cut the “unacceptable budget” of ₦873b almost into half to prosecute the election.
“I am very disappointed in INEC for not scheduling all the elections to hold the same day. There’s nothing in the law that forbids it from doing that. Paragraph 2 of its Regulations and Guidelines is a rule it made, which it can override whenever circumstances demand.
“Nigeria doesn’t have huge financial resources to accommodate the humongous logistics involved in having elections in two different days within two weeks. Nigerians would find it difficult to return back to vote again two weeks after voting the first time because of security and economic challenges. Things are difficult now in Nigeria, and INEC should not add to it. Voter apathy will result if this is not done.
“Prof Amupitan should immediately reschedule all the elections to hold on one day. This will cut the unacceptable budget of N873b almost into half to prosecute the election,” Okonkwo wrote on Monday.
Recall that INEC ON Friday, 13th February, released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election.
According to the details released, Presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Assembly elections will be held on March 6, 2027.
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