The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has assured the people of Anambra State that the November 6 Governorship election will hold as scheduled.
He made this assurance during the Inter Agency Consultative Forum held at the INEC headquarters in Awka, the state capital, on Tuesday. He stated that the commission were ready for a free, fair and credible poll in collaboration with all the security agencies
“When INEC issued guidelines for the conduct of Anambra Governorship election 11 months ago, it was as if the election would never come but here we are, it is four days now.
This is to assure people of Anambra State that the election is going to be free, fair and credible”, he reiterated.
However, the INEC chairman explained that because of the technology deployed for the voter’s registration, all the newly registered voters have been contacted on how to collect their voter’s cards.
He went on to implore all the security agencies to do everything possible towards achieving utmost security, sanity and orderliness before, during and after the process.
The commission also harped on the need for signing the Peace Accord by all the candidates and their political parties as part of measures to ensure a peaceful exercise.
He added that the electoral body in conjunction with the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, other heads of security agencies, chairmen of political parties, governorship candidates, members of the Civil Society Groups, traditional rulers, religious leaders and the media would be present at the stakeholders meeting where the Accord would be signed while other key issues relating to the election would be tabled
The Commissioner of police in the state who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Inter Agency Consultative Forum, Mr Echeng Echeng, said that all boundaries linking Anambra State with other neighbouring states would be totally locked down on Thursday night as part of measures to guarantee security within and outside the state.
“During the period, vehicles and movement would not be allowed into the state. Several camps of hoodlums have been identified and are being seriously monitored for action against disgruntled elements in their plots to wreak havoc during the election”, he stressed.
The Commissioner condemned the unfounded tales from outsiders about security situation in parts of the state. He stated that about 85 percent of all police assets and personnel are on ground with positive deployment of about 125 anti-riot policemen to each of the 21 local government areas of the state.
“There is enough security to protect live and property across the state. It is not going to be a tea party for trouble makers. Of course, their camps have been identified and operations are ongoing. We will be on ground to make sure they don’t have access to come out,” he emphasized.
He further said the Department of State Services (DSS) is taking adequate actions with intelligence agency to take care of situations as they arise while two Deputy Inspector Generals of Police (DIGs), five Assistant Inspector Generals of Police (AIGs), Commissioners of police, the army, Navy DSS, officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and those of the Federal Road Safety Corps are ready for the smooth conduct of the election.
He urged the people of the state to come out and exercise their franchise and vote for the candidate of their choice.
Dominica Nwabufo
