The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that a total of 2.8 million registered voters are expected to participate in the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, Queen Elizabeth Agwu, disclosed this during a strategy dialogue with the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja on Tuesday, convened by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre.
Agwu revealed that 140,907 newly registered voters are on track to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before the end of the week.
Additionally, 978 backup Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines have been reserved for deployment across the 5,720 polling units in the state.
“All ballot papers and result sheets are polling unit-specific. You cannot use a material from one polling unit in another,” Agwu said, emphasizing measures to prevent electoral malpractice.
She added that sensitive election materials would be distributed under strict supervision and stored securely at the Central Bank of Nigeria, with extra layers of security in place.
Agwu also confirmed that 16 political parties and their candidates are contesting in the election, and that security personnel across the state’s three senatorial zones have been trained.
“We’ve published the names of candidates in all 21 LGAs, in line with the Electoral Act. I remain committed to neutrality and transparency,” the REC affirmed.
Addressing concerns about political interference, Agwu stated that no politician had ever approached her to influence the process.
“I have been praying that God won’t let anyone coerce me,” she said.
On security, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ekulu Remijius, who represented the state Commissioner of Police, assured that security agencies are fully prepared for the election.
He said a show of force would be conducted on the eve of the poll, with blackspots identified for preemptive raids, and military personnel would be deployed to border communities to prevent infiltration.
“Only accredited persons will be allowed to move around. All roads will be blocked to ensure safety and order,” he added.
Y.Z. Ya’u, Convener of the Situation Room, said the engagement allowed civil society groups to assess INEC’s readiness.
He emphasized that credible polls remain vital to Nigeria’s democratic progress.
