The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has assured Nigerians
that the upcoming Anambra State off-cycle governorship election will be
peaceful, transparent, and credible.
Amupitan gave the assurance on Monday during the signing
of the Peace Accord organized by the National Peace Committee (NPC),
led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).
In a statement released by INEC, the Chairman
commended the NPC for its steadfast role in promoting non-violence during
elections, emphasizing that extending the Peace Accord initiative to off-cycle
polls has significantly reduced electoral tension and violence nationwide.
“After witnessing the success of the Peace Accord at
the national level, the NPC graciously agreed, five years ago, to our request
to decentralize its signing. This became necessary because of the tensions and
violence that have accompanied some past elections,” Amupitan explained.
He, however, reminded political parties and candidates
that genuine peace must go beyond symbolic gestures.
“It is not the signatures on this document that
guarantee peace; it is the genuine commitment to honouring its provisions,” he
said, urging all 16 participating political parties and their candidates
to promote peace among their supporters across the state.
Highlighting INEC’s readiness, Professor Amupitan
announced that the Commission has completed deployment plans for 24,000
personnel across 5,718 polling units and multiple collation centres
in Anambra.
“Voters should therefore expect a significant
improvement in Election Day logistics,” he assured.
According to him, the final voter register includes 2,802,790
eligible voters, while the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)
has been extended until Sunday, November 2, to ensure no eligible voter
is disenfranchised.
Amupitan also reaffirmed INEC’s zero-tolerance stance
on vote-buying, warning that anyone attempting to manipulate the will of
the people would face the full force of the law.
On security arrangements, the INEC Chairman disclosed
that the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES)
has rolled out extensive measures to safeguard the polls. He revealed that the Nigeria
Police Force will deploy 45,000 officers, while the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will provide 10,250 personnel
across the state.
He noted that the collaboration between security
agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society groups would
help maintain peace before, during, and after the election.
Concluding his message, Professor Amupitan expressed
confidence that the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election would serve as a
model for credible and peaceful polls in Nigeria.
“Let us work together to ensure that this election is
remembered not for division or discord, but for unity and the collective
pursuit of progress. Anambra must stand as a beacon of hope, resilience, and
democratic values,” he declared.
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