The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Anambra State, Dr. Mrs. Queen Elizabeth Agwu, has urged residents of the state to come out en masse on Saturday and exercise their franchise, rather than staying at home under the assumption that their votes will not count or that their preferred candidate has already won.
Dr. Agwu gave this charge on Thursday at the Awka branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) during the distribution of sensitive election materials to the various local government areas ahead of the November 8 Anambra State gubernatorial election.
According to her, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made comprehensive preparations in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders including political parties, security agencies, and civil society organizations to ensure that the forthcoming election is free, fair, transparent, and credible.
“People should come out and vote; participate in this election process. Do not stay at home thinking that your vote will not count, and do not assume that your candidate has already won. INEC is fully prepared for this election and we are assuring the people of Anambra State of a credible and peaceful exercise,” she said.
The REC further revealed that party agents and security operatives jointly supervised the distribution of sensitive materials to ensure transparency.
“We have been at the CBN since 9 a.m., and everything has gone smoothly without any challenges or compliant. This shows our readiness and commitment to delivering a credible election,” she added.
Dr. Agwu explained that the commission commenced the movement and distribution of three key sensitive materials—the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), Forms EC8A, and Forms EC8B—to the various Registration Area Centres (RACs) as part of the final preparations for the election.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Anambra State election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed that the number of security personnel deployed for the poll had been increased from 45,000 to 55,000 officers.
According to him, the measure is intended to ensure adequate security across the state and protect both voters and electoral officials during the exercise.
“The increase in security personnel is not to intimidate eligible voters but to ensure effective operations and safety at every polling unit. We want to guarantee voters’ confidence in coming out to cast their ballots without fear,” Shogunle said.
He further clarified that the personnel include officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Immigration Service, NDLEA, DSS, and other sister agencies, with at least three security officers assigned to each polling unit across the state.
“We assure the people of Anambra that the election will be free, fair, transparent, and devoid of intimidation. Our collective aim is to ensure the safety of voters, INEC officials, and all stakeholders involved,” he added.
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