INEC anticipates run-off, to print 187m ballot papers for presidential poll

INEC prepares for run-off: According to the commission, the reason for printing such number of ballot papers was to prepare for the possibility of the election going into a run-off.

This was made known by INEC's National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, at a Roundtable with Bureau Chiefs/Editors in Abuja on Friday, November 18, 2022.

What you should know: Recall that the commission had said that preliminary registered voters in Nigeria now stand at 93.5 million as 9,518,188 new voters were added to the existing register of 84,004,084 voters.

INEC takes proactive steps: Speaking on Friday, Okoye explained that 93.5 million ballot papers will be used on the 25 February, 2022 for the presidential election while the remaining 93.5million ballot papers will be for run off of the presidential election in case there is no clear winner at first ballot.

The National Commissioner also stated that the same method will be replicated at the state levels.

Why it's important: He noted that the commission decided to print 187 million ballot papers for the presidential election to forestall a logistical nightmare that may arise in the event no clear winner emerges at first ballot.

Okoye's word: “As of today, 18 political parties will participate in the 2023 general election and the law has outlined how candidates will emerge and how a presidential candidate will emerge in Nigeria. Because of the limited time on the Commission and by the law; in case a candidate does not emerge from the first ballot, the Commission prints ballots for run-off elections (second election) when we are printing ballots for the main election.

"In other words, if 93million Nigerians are on the ballot for the presidential election, we will print 93million ballots for the first election and at the same time, print 93million ballots for the run-off election in case a winner does not emerge from the first ballot.

“If at the end of the day, there is no runoff, when election petitions are disposed of, the Commission will destroy the 93million ballots printed for the runoff. This is because the law gives the Commission just 21 days within each to engage in reverse logistics and conduct a runoff election in case there is no winner."