Amupitan: Voting to Exclude Two Polling Units in Anambra Governorship Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed its operational plans for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State, revealing that while the vast majority of voting centres will be active, two Polling Units (PUs) will be excluded from the exercise.

This clarification was provided by the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on Tuesday. Prof. Amupitan informed the stakeholders that out of a total of 5,720 Polling Units in the state, election will be successfully held in 5,718 PUs. The decision to exclude the remaining two units, he explained, was a purely administrative and logistical one, driven by the fact that those specific polling locations have no registered voters assigned to them. This detail highlights INEC’s efforts to ensure resources are focused only on PUs where citizens are registered and expected to cast their ballots.

Furthermore, the INEC Chairman outlined the scale of the human resources dedicated to conducting the election smoothly and credibly, stating that the commission plans to deploy a robust total of 24,000 personnel for the polls. This massive deployment of electoral officers, observers, and support staff is crucial for managing the process across all the active polling units in the state’s 21 Local Government Areas.

On the critical issue of security, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who was represented at the meeting by Hassan Abdullahi, gave a strong assurance of a safe and orderly process. He emphasized that the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security is implementing comprehensive and robust security measures to guarantee a hitch-free election. These measures include the adoption of an enhanced surveillance network, the commitment to deploy sufficient security personnel to all flashpoints, and the intensification of intelligence gathering efforts to proactively counteract any potential threats from disruptive elements or desperate politicians aiming to undermine the electoral process. The NSA’s representative stressed that the security agencies are working to ensure that the positive security model from recent off-cycle elections is replicated in Anambra State.

To reinforce the commitment to a non-violent exercise, the security apparatus is also proactively engaging with political party leaders and local stakeholders across the state. This engagement is intended to send an unequivocal message that violence will not be tolerated during the polls. The National Security Adviser’s representative mandated all participating political parties and their candidates to actively advocate for peace and ensure their supporters conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the integrity of the electoral system. He concluded with a firm warning that any individual or group found engaging in violence will be met with a strong, uncompromising response.