INEC Assures Smooth Anambra Governorship Election, Extends PVC Collection to November 2

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured voters that the forthcoming Anambra governorship election will hold smoothly, despite minor network challenges encountered during a recent mock accreditation exercise.

The assurance was given by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), held at the commission’s headquarters. The session, co-chaired by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who was represented by Mr. Hassan Abdullahi, focused on final security and logistical preparations for the November 8 election.

Prof. Amupitan, presiding over his first ICCES meeting since assuming office, said the commission’s week-long readiness assessment in Anambra confirmed that preparations were in top gear.

“Following our comprehensive readiness assessment across the state, INEC is confident of its full preparedness for the polls,” he said. “Although we encountered some network challenges during the mock accreditation exercise in 12 polling units, efforts are underway to ensure a seamless election on November 8. We are ready for large-scale deployment.”

According to him, about 24,000 ad-hoc personnel will be deployed across 5,718 of Anambra’s 5,720 polling units, as voting will not take place in two units with no registered voters. Results will be collated at 326 ward centres, 21 local government area centres, and finally at the State Collation Centre in Awka.

The INEC Chairman also announced the extension of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise in Anambra to November 2, 2025. The extension, he said, was prompted by reports that only 63.9 per cent of registered voters had collected their PVCs.

“To ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised, the Commission has extended PVC collection in Anambra from October 29 to November 2, 2025,” he explained.

Amupitan commended the security agencies for their collaboration, describing their coordination as vital to a peaceful and credible election.

“The security agencies have played a crucial role in securing the environment, without which elections would be impossible in some locations,” he said. “A high-level ICCES meeting was held in Anambra to review operations and monitor flashpoints, and the Police, DSS, NSCDC, and the military have assured us of heavy deployment and coordinated patrols before, during, and after the election.”

He further disclosed that INEC had concluded arrangements with major transport unions  including the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN)  for the movement of personnel and election materials. A total of 200 buses and 83 boats have been secured for the exercise.

While urging collaboration among all security agencies and stakeholders, the INEC Chairman warned against vote-buying, stressing that law enforcement agencies would clamp down on offenders.

“Any attempt to induce voters before or during the Anambra election must be resisted and curtailed. We must join hands to combat vote-buying and uphold the values of democracy,” he stated.

In his remarks, the representative of the National Security Adviser, Mr. Hassan Abdullahi, assured that the Federal Government had implemented robust measures to ensure the safety of voters, officials, and election materials throughout the electoral process.

“We have enhanced surveillance, increased deployment of security personnel, and strengthened intelligence gathering to prevent any attempt by disruptive elements or desperate politicians to undermine the process,” Abdullahi said.

He also warned politicians and their supporters against violence, stressing that any breach of peace would attract swift and decisive action.

“Violence will not be tolerated. Political parties and candidates must advocate peace and ensure their supporters conduct themselves in ways that uphold the integrity of our electoral system. Any act of violence will be met with a firm and uncompromising response,” he warned.