Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said it is prepared to conduct the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr Queen Agwu, made this known yesterday, during an interactive session with journalists in Awka.
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had scheduled the state governoship election for November 8, as one of the off-cycle polls in the nation’s election calendar.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that apart from the governorship election, two bye-elections would also be conducted in Anambra State.
The bye-elections are due to the demise of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented Anambra South Senatorial Zone and to fill the vacant Onitsha North Constituency seat in the House Assembly.
The seat, occupied by Mr Justice Azuka of Labour Party, became vacant, following his kidnap and murder by his abductors.
“We are ready for the Anambra governorship election, hoping that political parties and politicians are preparing also on their own,” the REC said.
Agwu, who noted that the three elections could not hold on the same day, insisted that the commission is ready.
She charged political parties and their candidates to keep to the electoral rules.
The REC advised political parties to start mobilising, sensitising their members and organising their primaries.
She assured political parties and residents that the federal government would play its part by providing funds for INEC to conduct the elections.
According to Agwu, INEC will conduct transparent and credible elections in Anambra State.
She lauded the media for maintaining a robust relationship with the commission since her arrival as the INEC boss.
The REC said objective and balanced reporting by the media has ensured peace in the state, adding “there was no misinformation throughout the general elections.
“When I arrived the state in 2021, I identified with the media, provided all the working tools, released credible information, which created no room for rumours.
“In Nigeria, when an official does the right thing, people will not acknowledge or praise you, but once one does the wrong thing, there is criticism all over the place.
“Now elections are around the corner, there is no small election, any election is taken very seriously.
“We have the governorship election fixed for November 8 and INEC has started working towards it. We also have two bye-elections in the state.”
Agwu notex that before the November election, the voters register would be updated.
“We have been holding a series of meetings with stakeholders, improving our technological system and updating our records.
“We need to engage more people such as ad-hoc staff, transporters among others, while security operatives are expected to improve better than what they did in the 2021 general elections,” Agwu said. NAN
