• We’re Committed To Safeguarding Electoral Process, Police Reassure
Saturday, November 8, the appointed day that the outcome of the manoeuvrings and months of political calculations and campaigns by 16 governorship candidates of various political parties angling for the number one seat of the state would come to reality, is here.
Expected to decide the fate of the 16 candidates are the no fewer than 2.8 million eligible voters of Anambra State, who will choose one among the candidates that had traversed the length and breadth of the state for several months, seeking to be elected governor.
And some eligible voters who spoke with The Guardian expressed their willingness to vote in the election, saying the atmosphere was more peaceful than what was experienced four years ago.
Ahead of today’s process, everything in the Anambra State had been busy, preparatory to the election. All the roads in the state had been busy with vehicular and human activities as the candidates invaded the nooks and crannies of the state to sell their manifestoes and solicit acceptance of the people.
Since the beginning of the week, movements in and around the state had been very unusual with increased human, materials and vehicular movements. While vehicles blared their horns and operated at unusual speed as if racing to meet an emergency, several other siren bearing vehicles blared from various directions to chase away other road users.
Those who own businesses, on the other hand had made brisk sales. Hotel owners are not left out, as their spaces have been fully booked at the emergency new rates, specifically designed for the election.
The food markets were not left out. Residents were seen making last purchases before the election.
At major road junctions, some security vehicles, including armoured tanks have already been deployed and manned by agile officers.
The security team includes personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Immigration Service, NDLEA, DSS, EFCC, Civil Defence among others.
The road leading to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office had been barricaded since Monday. Only those that have business at the office are allowed to the area.
Since last Thursday, surveillance helicopters flown by the Police and Airforce officials had hovered around the state as part of efforts to ward off any disruption and ensure adequate security for the election.
Also on Friday, several eligible voters capitalised on the free work day authorised by the state government to travel to their various registration areas for the purpose of voting in the election today. This kept the motor parks busy.
But despite the rush of activities, the state remained calm and peaceful. Some small gatherings discussed the likely advantages that each of the contestants in the election had.
From Awka, the state capital, to the commercial cities of Onitsha and Nnewi, several campaign billboards announcing the candidates in the election and their political parties adorn the environment.
INEC confirmed that 16 candidates from 16 political parties will contest the governorship seat.
Those listed to contest in the election are Charles Onyese – Accord Party (AP); Japhet Nweke – Action Alliance (AA) , Chioma Ifemeludike – African Action Alliance (AAC), John Nwosu – African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nicholas Ukachukwu – All Progressives Congress (APC), Chukwuma Soludo – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Echezona Otti – Allied Party Movement (APM) and Christopher Nweke – All Progressives Party (APP).
Others are: Jerry Chums Okeke – Boot Party (BP), George Moghalu (Labour Party (LP), Geoffrey Onyejegbu – New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), Christy Olieh – National Reformation Movement (NRM), Jude Ezenwafor – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Vincent Chukwurah -Social Democratic Party (SDP), Paul Chukwuma – Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Uchenna Ugwuoji – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The Chairman of the INEC, Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan, who had been in the state since the beginning of the week, stated that the poll would hold in the 326 wards, 5718 polling units, 183 split polling units with 6879 active Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines.
He stated that 24,000 ad hoc personnel went through training on election duties and have been deployed for the exercise, while 55,000 Police Officers were ported to the state for the exercise.
The Guardian gathered that a total of 2,802,790 voters across the state registered to participate in the election.
The breakdown shows that Aguata Local Council has 155,881 voters; Ayamelum – 96,947; Anambra East – 110,482; Anambra West – 71,332; Anaocha – 124, 075; Awka North – 85,054; Awka South – 216,611; Dunukofua – 83,580; Ekwusigo – 91,549; Idemili North – 246,318 and Idemili South – 125,632.
The rest are: Ihiala – 156,715 voters; Njikoka – 119,608; Nnewi North – 166,400; Nnewi South – 102,907; Ogbaru – 188,016; Onitsha North – 183,647; Onitsha South – 168,575; Orumba North – 102,977; Orumba South – 85,767; and Oyi – 120,717.
There are about 115 domestic observers and seven foreign observers including officials of the British High Commissioner, European Union, High Commissioner of Canada, Pan-African Women Projects, International Association of World Peace advocates and Nouvel Perspective (NP) Foreign Observer Group.
