INEC Chairman Meets Anambra Political Stakeholders, Reaffirms Commitment to Credible Poll

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has met with political parties, candidates, and other key stakeholders ahead of the November 8 Anambra governorship election, pledging that the commission is fully committed to delivering a free, fair, and credible poll

The interactive session, which took place on Tuesday at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, brought together representatives of security agencies, civil society organizations, traditional rulers, and leaders of major political parties, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Accord Party Addressing participants, Prof. Amupitan reaffirmed that INEC has no interest other than ensuring that the will of the people prevails at the ballot box. He urged candidates and political parties to uphold the peace accord signed earlier and to conduct themselves responsibly before, during, and after the election. According to him, the commission will not tolerate acts of vote-buying, violence, or any conduct capable of undermining the electoral process Amupitan also expressed concern over the level of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, revealing that only 63.9 percent of registered voters had so far collected their cards. He encouraged eligible voters who have not yet done so to take advantage of the extended collection period to ensure they can exercise their franchise The INEC chairman assured that all logistical and technical preparations have been finalized, with non-sensitive materials already distributed across the 21 local government areas and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) fully tested and ready for deployment He further disclosed that the commission has been working closely with security agencies to ensure adequate protection for voters, officials, and election materials throughout the electoral process. The agencies, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, have pledged to maintain a secure environment for the conduct of the election. Prof. Amupitan called on political leaders to embrace peace and focus their campaigns on issues affecting the people of Anambra, emphasizing that the credibility of the election would depend on the collective commitment of all stakeholders to abide by democratic principles and the rule of law.