The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the commission is 80 per cent ready for the 2027 general elections in Anambra.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, Dr Elizabeth Agwu, disclosed this during a stakeholders meeting on Friday in Awka.
The stakeholders at the meeting included the political parties, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), community and religious leaders, journalists and security agencies.
“We are 100 per cent ready for the 2027 general elections in Anambra.“
We are ready with the materials and everything. There will be no glitch in this election.“There will be no preference for anyone; the person who scores the goal will be the winner.
“We have enough security; if you are planning to cause trouble, have a rethink,” she said.
She declared that INEC was committed to conducting hitch-free, fair, credible and conclusive 2027 general elections in the state.
The REC said that the commission had held meetings with stakeholders such as the security agencies, CSOs, and NGOs, among others, before the stakeholders meeting.
She said that INEC had embarked on regular training for its staff, upgraded its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit and started rehabilitation and construction of its Local Government Areas (LGA) offices across the country.
“We have been able to train our staff in various stages because, as technology is improving, we are adapting to the technological development.
“We have been able to procure about 5,720 Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and some reserve machines for the 5,720 polling units in the state.
“We have done an infrastructure audit to ensure the smoothness of the 2027 polls,” she said.
Agwu said there was an urgent need for those registered for the continuous voter registration from January to July this year to go to the commission’s headquarters or designated centres and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
According to her, the collection of the PVCs is from Oct. 9 to Oct. 15.“You don’t need to offer any INEC staff or any ad hoc staff money to collect your PVC,” she said.
She urged political parties and their candidates to ensure they plan themselves well, conduct themselves with decorum and embark on issue-based campaigns.
“Political parties must embark on messages and realistic promises about what they have done before and what the people should expect from them once they win their elections.
The REC also disclosed that the commission was closely monitoring political parties on their financial spending and advised them to be civil in their conduct, plan and organise themselves well in all their dealings.
“We have 97 days left for the elections to take place; tell our people to go and register.“Showcase your parties; tell the people what you want to do. People of Anambra are interested in what you have done before and what you will do for them in the future.
“Don’t plan to scuttle the election because it’s not going to work,” she said.Agwu also warned the political parties and their candidates that the commission would prosecute anybody who offered INEC staff money to rig the election.
“Go and do your homework, but if you want a shortcut, there is none. It’s not possible or feasible to destroy somebody’s destiny.”She urged those wishing to register ahead of the polls to go and register, as the INEC portal was open.
The REC said that training for ad hoc staff would commence online next week.
She said that the commission had embarked on relocating its offices stationed inside the Secretariat of local government areas in the state and across the country to new places as a measure to curb challenges of electoral malpractice.
“We have given out the contract for the building storage facilities and structure. We have procured adequate vehicles and other electoral materials for the smooth conduct of the elections.”
Some of the stakeholders appealed to INEC for timely delivery of all election materials and early arrival of electoral officers at polling units.
They also called for adequate security before, during and after the general elections.
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