The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has given an assurance that the upcoming Anambra State off-cycle governorship election, slated for November 8 will be peaceful and credible.
Amupitan delivered this assurance today at the signing of the Peace Accord, an event convened by the National Peace Committee (NPC) and led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
He lauded the NPC’s “unwavering commitment” to peaceful elections, noting that the devolution of the peace accord to cover off-cycle governorship elections—a request INEC made five years ago—has been crucial in reducing electoral tensions and violence.
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However, he cautioned the 16 participating political parties and their candidates that the signatures on the document are merely symbolic and must be supported by genuine actions.
“It is not the signatures on this document that guarantee peace; it is the genuine commitment to honouring its provisions,” he stated, urging the candidates to ensure the message of peace permeates all levels of their support base.
To bolster public confidence in the process, Amupitan detailed the Commission’s comprehensive preparations for the crucial poll.
He said a final register of 2,802,790 eligible voters has been approved, deployment plans for 24,000 personnel and election materials across the state’s 5,718 Polling Units and hundreds of collation centres have been “fine-tuned,” promising voters a “significant improvement in Election Day logistics.”
He added that the Commission extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) until November 2 to maximize participation.
He reaffirmed INEC’s firm resolve to combat vote-buying, warning that “any individuals or groups planning to subvert the will of the people will be firmly confronted within the strong hands of the law.”
On the security front, Amupitan confirmed that the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) has instituted robust measures.
He said the Nigeria Police Force will deploy 45,000 personnel, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will deploy 10,250 officers to secure the electoral process.
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With the multi-stakeholder commitments from the peace accord, the proactive efforts of the security agencies, and the support of traditional rulers and religious leaders, the INEC Chairman expressed strong confidence that the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election will be both peaceful and successful.
He said, “Let us demonstrate to the world that Anambra State is a beacon of hope, resilience, and democratic values.”
