A civil society observer, Jake Epelle, has assured that residents of Anambra State have little to worry about regarding security as voting begins across the state.

Epelle, who is the Founder of TAF Africa, noted that the people of Anambra are typically peaceful during elections and often take personal responsibility for ensuring calm within their communities.

“The security situation is not something to worry about. Anambra people are peace-loving. Everyone wants to stay safe, so they find ways to protect themselves,” he said.

While acknowledging the heavy deployment of security personnel as a positive step, Epelle cautioned that such presence must be carefully managed to avoid unintended consequences.

“The presence of security agents can be a plus, but they must be careful not to become the very breach they’re meant to prevent,” he added.

Epelle disclosed that he had met with the police during a town hall engagement, where officers assured that they would remain neutral and professional throughout the election.

“They promised not to be partisan. Problems arise when the opposition perceives compromise, that’s when tension starts. Security personnel must stick strictly to their duties,” he emphasized.

He, however, expressed mild concern about potential interference from senior security officials at the national level, warning that such actions could distract field officers and affect smooth coordination.

Epelle also urged voters to turn out in large numbers, appealing to residents to overcome apathy and actively participate in choosing their next governor.

Meanwhile, INEC officials commenced early deployment of materials to polling units in Awka South Local Government Area on Saturday morning.

At St. Matthew Catholic Church, officials were seen boarding buses to various polling stations, while ad hoc staff gathered at Community Primary School, Amawbia for final briefings before departure around 7:07 a.m.

Buses loaded with voting materials were observed leaving the venue as deployment continued across multiple wards in the area.

According to INEC, a total of 2,802,790 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots across 5,718 polling units in 21 local government areas of the state.

The election features 16 candidates contesting for the governorship across three senatorial districts. Among the leading contenders are Governor Chukwuma Soludo (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu (APC), George Moghalu (Labour Party), Paul Chukwuma (YPP), and Jude Ezenwafor (PDP).

The Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Shogunle, also assured residents of a peaceful and secure exercise, noting that clearance operations had been conducted in known flashpoints such as Ihiala.

He said security agencies had neutralised major threats and were fully prepared to maintain peace throughout the election, despite Anambra’s complex terrain and shared borders with five states.

The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has distanced herself from a viral social media post that falsely accused President Bola Tinubu of failing to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges.

The viral message, titled “Trump didn’t ‘hit’ us, our leaders did,” circulated widely across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, claiming that Okonjo-Iweala criticised Nigerian leaders for issuing “damage control speeches” instead of taking decisive action against insurgency and banditry.

However, in a statement released via her verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, the former Minister of Finance described the message as fake and malicious, stressing that she had never made such remarks.

“Beware! This story going around on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook is false! We are taking action! The person who did this could not even spell my name,” she wrote.

The WTO chief condemned the impersonation and vowed to pursue legal action against those responsible.

“Whichever coward did this should write the message in their own name and not hide behind mine or anyone else’s. Scammers and 419ers, stop!” she added.

Okonjo-Iweala’s clarification comes amid heightened online discourse following recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who alleged that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria.

Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform earlier this week, warned that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if the alleged killings of Christians in Nigeria continued.

The remark stirred controversy and drew reactions from both local and international observers.

In response, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom and democratic values.

Posting via his official X account, Tinubu said the Nigerian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to practice their faith without fear or discrimination.

“Our nation’s strength lies in its diversity. Religious tolerance has been a core tenet of our identity and shall always remain so,” the President stated.

Tinubu dismissed any portrayal of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant country, describing such claims as “inaccurate and inconsistent with the unity that defines our people.”

He also pledged to continue working with the United States and other international partners to promote peace and protect communities of all faiths.

Despite Nigeria’s response, Trump doubled down on his earlier stance on Wednesday evening, saying the U.S “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening.”

He reiterated that his administration would be “ready, willing, and able to protect our great Christian population around the world.”

The former U.S. President also directed Congressman Riley Moore, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, and others to investigate the situation in Nigeria and report their findings to him.

Governors across Nigeria’s South-West, alongside their counterparts in Kogi and Kwara states, have been urged to make contingency plans for potential security repercussions following reports of a proposed United States military strike on terrorist camps within Nigeria.

The Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements (AYDM) issued the warning on Friday in a statement jointly signed by its General Secretary, Poloola Ajayi, and Publicity Secretary, Suleiman Sanusi.

AYDM said that while it is uncertain when or where the United States might carry out such operations, any strike could push insurgent groups from their northern strongholds into the more industrialized southern region.

“Governments at both the state and federal levels must prepare to manage the consequences in ways that safeguard the dignity and safety of the Yoruba nation,”
the statement read.

The group’s comment follows remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who, via his Truth Social account, said that Nigeria’s Christian population faced an “existential threat” from Islamist extremists.

He vowed that Washington would not “stand by while such atrocities continue,” adding that his administration was “ready, willing, and able to protect our great Christian population around the world.”

Trump also directed senior lawmakers, including Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, to investigate the situation and report back to him.

According to AYDM, those opposing the U.S plan on the grounds of national sovereignty were being hypocritical, claiming that Nigeria’s leadership had already compromised sovereignty through corruption, electoral malpractice, and complicity in terrorism.

“Nigeria lacks the capacity to prevent the proposed U.S. strike,” the group asserted,
“and propaganda or proxy protests will make no difference this time.”

The movement acknowledged that mass killings of Christians were real but stressed that Muslims in the Yoruba and Middle Belt regions had also been victims of extremist violence.

AYDM further accused some Yoruba political and religious figures of hypocrisy for rejecting U.S. intervention without proposing viable solutions.

“They have shown no concern for the slaughter of their own people,” the statement added.

The organization called on South-West governors to work with local self-determination and community defense groups to improve intelligence gathering, track extremist movements, and fortify vulnerable areas.

AYDM also expressed support for U.S. sanctions on individuals and institutions suspected of funding terrorism, urging that such sanctions be extended to those promoting Sharia law in the South-West.

Finally, the group proposed creating a South-West Intelligence Gathering Bureau to coordinate anti-terrorism efforts and counter extremist propaganda in the region.

No fewer than 2.8 million registered voters across Anambra State will today elect a governor to lead the state for the next four years.

The election marks the first major assignment for the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, who assumed office on October 23.

Analysts say today’s exercise will serve as a litmus test for Amupitan’s leadership and INEC’s commitment to credible electoral reforms.

INEC disclosed that 2,802,790 voters, including 140,370 newly registered citizens across the state’s 326 wards, are eligible to participate.

With 98.8% of Permanent Voter Cards already collected, 16 political parties are fielding candidates, two of whom are women.

The leading contenders include the incumbent Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu (APC); Dr. George Moghalu (Labour Party); John Nwosu (African Democratic Congress); Jude Ezenwafor (PDP); and Sir Paul Chukwuma (Young Progressives Party).

INEC confirmed that 5,718 polling units would open at 8:30 a.m., supported by 6,879 configured BVAS machines and over 24,000 ad hoc staff.

Sensitive and non-sensitive materials were distributed to the 21 local government areas on Thursday under tight security at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Awka, supervised by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Queen Awgu.

“Our goal is to ensure that voting begins on time. That’s the only way to guarantee a smooth process,” Awgu said, urging residents to participate fully and shun apathy.

The Anambra State Police Command has imposed a total restriction on vehicular movement between 12 a.m. and 6 p.m. on election day.

Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the move aims to prevent the movement of political thugs and criminal elements who might attempt to disrupt the polls.

Only those on essential duties, including INEC staff, accredited observers, medical personnel, and emergency workers, are exempt.

Meanwhile, over 55,000 security operatives have been deployed across the state, up from 45,000, according to the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Abayomi Shogunle.

“Anyone caught engaging in violence, vote-buying, or ballot interference will face swift consequences,” INEC Chairman Amupitan warned.

Ahead of the poll, security agencies barricaded INEC’s state headquarters at Ekwueme Square, Awka, on Friday.

Armoured personnel carriers and heavily armed officers were stationed at key routes leading to the complex to secure sensitive materials and election personnel.

Residents and motorists had to park and trek into adjoining areas as the deployment intensified.

Several civic groups, including the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), have established situation rooms to track the election in real-time.

The CTA deployed 50 observers, while the CDD accredited 178 observers across the state’s 21 LGAs.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Benjamin Okolo, has also been sent from Abuja to supervise overall security coordination.

The APC and APGA have traded words over the security framework for the election.

APC Publicity Secretary, Okelo Madukaife, accused the state government of using non-state actors during previous elections and cautioned INEC against bias.

“Our concern is that unprofessional elements could infiltrate the security network again,” Madukaife said.

“The APC has run an issue-based campaign and expects a free and fair contest.”

However, APGA Publicity Secretary, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, dismissed fears of tension, assuring voters that the election would be peaceful.

“We’re targeting one million votes out of the 2.8 million registered voters,” Opara said. “President Bola Tinubu is a democrat, there will be no display of federal might. It will be an APGA victory.”

On Friday, major markets and motor parks across Onitsha, Nnewi, Ekwulobia, Obosi, and Awka were crowded with residents making last-minute purchases and travelling to their hometowns to vote.

Fuel stations and ATMs also witnessed long queues, while hotels in Awka and surrounding areas were fully booked by observers, journalists, and political aides.

A hotel manager in the Aroma area, Mr. Martin Uzor, confirmed that rooms had sold out since Thursday.

“We’ve had an influx of guests, observers, party agents, and officials, all under heavy security,” he said.

Many residents expressed optimism about the election atmosphere.

Grace Igwe, a trader in Onitsha, said,

“Everywhere is calm and peaceful. By Monday, we should know our next governor.”

The key battleground remains Anambra North, where YPP candidate Paul Chukwuma is the only contender from the zone.

With YPP’s limited grassroots presence, analysts predict votes may swing between APGA and APC.

In Anambra Central, which boasts the largest voter population and includes seven LGAs, APGA hopes to consolidate gains after zoning its governorship ticket to the area, traditionally a stronghold of the APC’s deputy governorship candidate, Uche Ekwunife.

Votes are expected to split in Anambra South, home to four major candidates, Soludo (APGA), Ukachukwu (APC), Moghalu (LP), and Nwosu (ADC).

Soludo is expected to dominate Aguata, his LGA, while Nnewi North and South could see a fierce contest among Moghalu, Ukachukwu, and Nwosu.

Although Labour Party gained strong support during the 2023 general elections, its influence has reportedly waned, with both APGA and APC consolidating in former LP strongholds.

The NGO Yiaga Africa identified six LGAs, Orumba North, Orumba South, Ogbaru, Ihiala, Nnewi South, and Aguata, as potential security flashpoints.

The chair of Yiaga’s 2025 Anambra Election Mission, Dr. Asmau Maikudi, said the areas were “potential hotspots” requiring targeted security deployments.

She highlighted three critical benchmarks for credible elections: efficiency of logistics, integrity of electoral procedures and neutrality of security agencies.