By Cajetan Mmuta
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has expressed the readiness to deliver on the mandate with the introduction of new technological advancement towards ensuring the conduct of a free, fair, and credible November 6th Governorship election in Anambra state.
It urged the electorate and people of the state to ensure their votes would count as they elect who becomes the next governor of the state.
The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye stated this during a workshop for journalists on election processes and procedures held in Awka the state capital.
Okoye who was represented by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), INEC headquarters Abuja, Mr. Victor Aluko, said the media as critical stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process have major roles to play through the presentation of factual and objective sides of events as they unfold, especially, in making the society know happenings in Anambra state election.
He said the Governorship election in Anambra State was important because of emerging issues in the country vis-a-vis the year 2023 elections which allow the people to elect their leaders, stressing that it was also imperative for people of the state to make informed choices through the ballot box to elect the governor of the state.
The commission further disclosed that 2, 525, 471 voters are expected to vote during the November 6th poll, pointing out of the total number, about 77, 425 were newly registered voters while 26, 000 Ad hoc and personnel are to conduct the exercise across 326 wards and 5, 720 polling units in the 21 local government areas and three Senatorial districts of the state.
He said the figure was made up of the 77, 475 new registrants at the Continuous Voter’s Registration (CVR) exercise that ended on 5th September 2021.
Okoye explained that as part of the commission’s efforts to ensure one man, one vote, it would deploy the bimodal system to achieve a hitch-free outcome, stressing that the technological method would take care of observable challenges that had faced the electoral umpire during past polls.
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He stated that the Commission has recruited a total of 26,000 ad hoc staff for the exercise.
The commission said the workshop was to inform the Anambra people through the media that the INEC is prepared for the November 6 Governorship election in the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in the state, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, in his opening remarks, tasked the media to be objective and transparent in the reportage of the election.
Dr. Orji who was also represented by the State Director, Voter Education, and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Njmem, said the electoral umpire will be transparent in all its dealings with the media and the electorate during the election.
The commission however appealed to the media to assist through reportage of event and election monitoring to ensuring transparency of the electoral process.
