As Anambra State heads to the polls this Saturday to elect its next governor, preparations have reached their final stages, with electoral officials, security agencies and political actors putting finishing touches in anticipation of a peaceful exercise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said it has completed distribution of non-sensitive materials across the 21 local government areas of the state, while sensitive materials are scheduled to arrive at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Awka branch on Friday morning under tight security. INEC officials and accredited party agents are expected to jointly inspect and dispatch the materials to local government offices thereafter.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra, Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu, assured voters that the Commission is “fully prepared” for a credible and transparent election. She noted that 21,615 ad-hoc personnel, including presiding officers and corps members, have been trained and assigned to various polling units. The Commission has also concluded testing of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which will be deployed across the state.
Security agencies have also stepped up activities. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, earlier in the week ordered the deployment of additional personnel, including tactical units, to volatile flashpoints. The police, civil defence, military and other agencies will form a joint task force to maintain order before, during and after the election.
Meanwhile, political parties have continued their last-minute mobilisation efforts. Candidates have urged residents to come out in large numbers, shun violence and participate actively in choosing the next governor.
Civil society organisations such as Yiaga Africa and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) have deployed observers across the state to monitor compliance with electoral guidelines. Traditional rulers, religious leaders and community groups have also called for peaceful conduct among supporters.
Many residents say they expect a hitch-free exercise, though some have expressed concerns about voter turnout. Markets and major parks in Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi witnessed increased movement on Thursday, as people made early preparations ahead of the election-day restriction on vehicular movement.
With campaign activities officially concluded and all logistics nearly in place, Anambra now stands poised for what observers expect to be one of the most closely watched governorship elections of the year.
