As political parties intensify efforts to win voters ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, anxiety is growing over the perceived militarisation of the electoral process, vote buying, and insecurity that could affect voter turnout.
No fewer than 60,000 security personnel from the Police, Civil Defence, Army, Navy, and Air Force have been deployed to man the 5,720 polling units across the state, where 16 governorship candidates will contest for the top seat before 2.8 million registered voters.
Confirming the development, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed that the Police alone have deployed 45,000 officers to ensure safety of lives and property during the exercise.
According to him, a Tactical Force Team from the Force Headquarters has also been stationed in the state, supported by helicopters and drones for aerial surveillance.
The air operations, he said, would complement land patrols and intelligence-led policing efforts across the 21 local government areas.
However, security deployment plans took a new twist after the Police barred the state-owned security outfit, Agunechemba, from taking part in the election, following warnings from opposition parties that their involvement could compromise neutrality.
Meanwhile, former Secretary to the Anambra State Government (SSG), Mr. Oseloka Obaze, has endorsed John Chuma Nwosu, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ahead of Saturday’s poll.
Obaze, a former United Nations official, said his support was inspired by Nwosu’s vision and commitment to reform, stressing that Anambra needed “a new direction and leadership that understands governance beyond rhetoric.”
He said: “Anambra is at a crossroads. I do not criticise public officials for the sake of it, I’ve worked at federal, international, and state levels, so I understand the challenges of governance. But it is hypocritical for elites who privately condemn this administration to publicly endorse it.”
Lamenting the state of insecurity, Obaze questioned why “those who fear visiting their home state now support the continuity of a government that cannot guarantee their safety.”
He added that of all the contestants, Nwosu “represents the best opportunity for the people of Anambra to reclaim responsible governance.”
Obaze urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free, fair, and credible poll, warning that public confidence in democracy depended on transparency at every stage of the process.
