The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has appealed to eligible voters
in Anambra State to come out in large numbers and cast their votes in the
governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Amupitan made the appeal during a press conference
held on Thursday at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, where he highlighted the
Commission’s readiness for the poll and expressed concern over the state’s
declining voter turnout in past elections.
“The greatest enemy of Anambra’s democracy is not just
external violence but voter apathy,” the INEC chairman stated.
According to Amupitan, voter participation in Anambra
has continued to decline over the past decade.
“In the 2013 governorship election, turnout was only
25.5 percent. In 2017, it dropped to 20.10 percent, and in 2021, it fell
drastically to just 10.27 percent,” he revealed.
He urged citizens to take responsibility for
strengthening democracy by exercising their civic duty at the polls.
“We call on all eligible voters to come out and
exercise their civic rights without fear or favour. Democracy thrives only when
citizens actively choose their leaders,” Amupitan said.
INEC Confirms Readiness and High PVC
Collection Rate
The INEC chairman also reported significant progress
in election preparations, noting that the Commission had achieved a 98.8
percent Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection rate following an extended
distribution period.
He described the high collection rate as a sign of
improved voter readiness and commended residents for their cooperation.
Photographs released by the Commission on its official
X (formerly Twitter) page on Thursday showed trucks and electoral materials
ready for deployment to various local government areas across the state.
A total of 2,802,790 registered voters are
expected to participate in the election across 5,718 polling units
spread across Anambra’s 21 local government areas.
Security Tightened Ahead of Poll
To ensure a peaceful and credible process, the
Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has approved the deployment of 45,000
police personnel to maintain law and order during the election.
The deployment, according to police authorities, is
part of a coordinated security plan to forestall violence and guarantee the
safety of voters, INEC officials, and election materials.
Sixteen candidates from various political parties will
contest the governorship election, which observers describe as a crucial test
of electoral credibility and voter confidence in the South-East region.
Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting a
transparent, inclusive, and peaceful election, assuring the electorate that
every vote would count.
“We are fully prepared to deliver a credible process
that reflects the will of the people,” he said.
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