The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has on Tuesday, said that the November 6, 2021, Governorship election in Anambra State, will go on as planned, despite the ongoing security challenges in the State,
On Monday, the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Victor Ayodele Aluko, stated that the emergency Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, meeting, would among others, deliberate on the way forward for the Anambra election.
Asked if INEC was considering postponing the election as a result of the insecurity in the State, he said that the answer would come after the meeting.
However, speaking at the meeting on Tuesday, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, assured that the election will not be postponed.
He recalled that during the ICCES last quarterly meeting, on 9th September, 2021, the Committee received briefings and reviewed preparations for the election, and that a major concern raised by members was the security situation in the State in particular; the adjoining States in general, and how this might affect preparations and possibly the conduct of the election.
His exact words: “Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated markedly since our last meeting. Many innocent lives have been lost, and property destroyed. From the reports we have received, the stated goal of many of the attackers is that the Governorship election scheduled for 6th November, 2021, must not hold.
“This is worrisome for the Commission. We are deeply concerned that specific electoral facilities and materials could once more become targets of attack. Recall, that in May this year, our State Office at Awka, was attacked, and all the non-sensitive materials assembled for the election at the time were destroyed.
“In addition, our store, Collation Centre, and the main office building, were either totally or substantially damaged. The Commission also lost several vehicles to be used for the election.
“We appreciate the enormous challenges that the Security Agencies are presently facing in Anambra State, which entail not only securing the electoral process, but also enforcing law and order generally.
“This is particularly worrisome, because the Security Agencies have also become prime targets of these mindless attacks.
“We will continue to work with the Security Agencies, and in consultation with respected Opinion Leaders in Anambra State and the National Peace Committee, to ensure that these hit-and-run attacks do not derail the electoral process.
“To underscore this determination, the Commission is implementing two more activities on the Timetable for the election in the next few days. The register of voters will be presented to political parties in Awka, on Thursday, 7th October, 2021. On the same day, the Commission will publish the final list of Candidates for the election.”
He also expressed joy that the Commission have almost fully recovered from the attack, as the destroyed buildings have either been completely repaired, or are nearing completion, and the Commission equally has fully replaced the materials destroyed.
He said: “This rapid recovery has only been possible, because this is an off-season election. We have sourced some of these materials such as the 326 electric generators and vehicles destroyed in the attack from neighbouring States.”
The INEC Chairman, however, admitted that should the Commission again lose vital materials and facilities, the ongoing preparations will be adversely affected.
He said INEC is particularly concerned about the safety of voters and election day staff, including Security Officials, who have also become the targets of the attacks, adding that: “The thousands of young Nigerians that we intend to deploy for the election, most of them National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members, and University Students, need to be reassured of their personal safety.”