Observers commend INEC’s preparedness for Anambra governorship poll

A coalition of accredited observers has rated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, highly for its preparation ahead of the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8.

The group, in a press briefing late on Thursday, also expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness among the people of Anambra, while calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to arrest vote buyers.

The coordinator of the Grassroot Development Centre for Peace and Social Justice, Augustine Okafor, and the chairman of the Initiative for Promotion and Civic Obligation for Sustainable Peace, Sarki Danjuma, spoke on behalf of the coalition during the briefing in Awka.

The coalition, which comprises over 350 observers deployed across the 21 local government areas of the state to assess the preparedness of key electoral actors, said they were satisfied with the readiness of all groups involved in the process.

The group added that it would also monitor the conduct of Saturday’s election and the behaviour of the electorate thereafter.

The coalition commended the timely distribution of non-sensitive electoral materials by INEC, noting that the transparency of the exercise reflected the commission’s readiness to conduct a free, fair, and credible poll.

It further appreciated the security agencies in the state, as well as the state government, for intensifying efforts to reclaim areas previously under criminal control. The group applauded the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and other heads of security under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, for deploying over 60,000 security personnel across the state to ensure adequate protection during the election.

A statement read on behalf of the observers also urged political actors and security agencies to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral period.

Part of the statement read: “Political actors should respect the peace accord and maintain issue-based engagement. They must demonstrate maturity, tolerance, and discipline throughout the process. Any form of violence or hate speech should not be tolerated, and severe sanctions should be meted out to violators.

“Security agencies should provide robust protection for voters, election officials, and materials, and should also ensure strict enforcement of movement restrictions on Election Day.

“We call on security agencies to conduct clearance operations in identified flashpoints and maintain a strong presence in these areas to neutralise threats and apprehend potential troublemakers to forestall any security breach.

“The political environment in Anambra State remains largely peaceful and conducive for a credible, free, and fair election.

“Our observers have reported no significant incident of political thuggery or violence during campaign activities.

“There is a level playing field, and the insistence by INEC and the security agencies against the ‘use of incumbency power to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate,’ as prohibited by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022, is enhancing voter confidence and discouraging voter apathy,” the group said.

It added: “The security agencies and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should fight against vote-buying, which undermines democracy and erodes public confidence in the process.

“The principle of One Man, One Vote should be adhered to. We, the Coalition of INEC Accredited Observer Groups for Credible and Transparent Elections, stand firmly for the principle of ‘one man, one vote’ as enshrined in Section 53(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which states that ‘no voter shall vote for more than one candidate or record more than one vote.’

“We vehemently oppose any attempts to undermine this fundamental democratic principle of our nation.”