By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: With just 11 days to the Anambra governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has reaffirmed its readiness to deliver a free, fair and credible poll, despite minor network glitches encountered during the recent mock accreditation exercise in the state.
The Commission recently conducted a mock accreditation exercise in the state as part of measures to test its Bimodal Voter Authentication System BVAS.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security ICCES meeting at the Commission’s headquarters.
The session, co-chaired by the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, through his representative, Mr. Hassan Abdullahi, focused on final security and logistical preparations for the November 8 election.
Prof. Amupitan, who presided over his first ICCES meeting since assuming office, said the Commission’s week-long readiness assessment in Anambra confirmed that all arrangements were in place for a smooth exercise.
“Following our comprehensive readiness assessment across the state, INEC is confident of its full preparedness for the polls.
“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”, he said.
According to him, INEC will deploy about 24,000 personnel across 5,718 of the state’s 5,720 polling units, as voting will not hold in two units that have 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 boss also recalled the extension of the Permanent Voter Card PVC collection exercise in Anambra. The decision, he said, followed reports that only 63.9 per cent of registered voters had collected their cards.
“To ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised, the Commission has extended PVC collection in Anambra from Wednesday, 29th October to Sunday, 2nd November 2025,” Amupitan said.
He commended security agencies for their support, describing their coordination as crucial to the Commission’s success.
“The security agencies have played a crucial role in securing the environment without which elections would be impossible in some locations. A high-level ICCES meeting was held in Anambra to review operations and flashpoint monitoring, and the Police, DSS, NSCDC, and military have assured us of heavy deployment and coordinated patrols before, during, and after the election,” he added.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC had also concluded arrangements with transport unions — including the National Association of Transport Owners (NATO), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) — for the movement of personnel and materials. He said 200 buses and 83 boats had been hired for the exercise.
While urging collaboration among security agencies and electoral 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 said.
On his part, the representative of the National Security Adviser, Mr Hassan Abdullahi, said the Federal Government had put in place robust security measures to guarantee the safety of voters, officials, and materials throughout the electoral period.
“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 stated.
He also warned political actors and their supporters against violence, noting that any breach of peace would attract decisive action.
“Violence will not be tolerated. Political parties and candidates must advocate peace and ensure their supporters conduct themselves in a manner that honours the integrity of our electoral system. Any act of violence will be met with a strong, uncompromising response,” he warned.
Abdullahi reaffirmed the readiness of the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency for election security, alongside other security agencies, to ensure a peaceful and credible election.
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