The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections earlier scheduled for March 11, 2023, were rescheduled to March 18, 2023.
INEC announced its decision to reschedule the elections in a Wednesday statement signed by National Commissioner & Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye.
The INEC spokesman said that the postponement was due to the commission’s inability to commence the re-configuration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines used for the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, to enable their use for the state elections.
“For instance, the BVAS can only be activated on the specific date and time of an election.
“Having been used for the Presidential and National Assembly elections on 25th February 2023, it is necessary to reconfigure the BVAS for activation on the date of the governorship and State Assembly elections,” the statement read in part.
Okoye said that political parties will continue their campaigns until midnight of Thursday, 16th March 2023 – 24 hours before the new date for the election.