Segun Ojumu
Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly assured the nation and the international community of a free and credible process ahead of the highly anticipated Anambra State gubernatorial election, scheduled for Saturday, 8 November 2025. The commitment was made by the Chairman of INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in the state capital, Awka. The meeting gathered political candidates, security chiefs, civil society groups, and observers for final preparations. In his address to stakeholders, the Chairman stressed that the commission was “fully prepared to deliver an election that is fair, credible, and reflective of the people’s will,” urging cooperation from all parties to ensure a seamless process. The remarks followed the signing of a peace accord by all political parties and their candidates, who pledged to maintain calm both before and after the polls. The accord signing, overseen by religious and civil leaders, was described as a significant step towards fostering harmony in the South-Eastern state.
Focus on Logistics and Integrity.
Professor Amupitan detailed INEC’s operational readiness, confirming the full configuration and testing of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, a technology central to maintaining the integrity of the voting process.”We have left nothing to chance,” the Chairman stated. He issued a clear directive that all election materials must arrive at the polling units by 07:00 WAT, with voting set to commence promptly at 08:30 WAT. Furthermore, he insisted that collation must be transparent, conducted in the presence of party agents, and that the final collated results must align precisely with the BVAS records.
Security and Vote-Buying Warning
Security remains a primary concern in the region. To curb potential intimidation and abuse of power, the electoral chief announced that police protection would be withdrawn from all Very Important Persons (VIPs) and political appointees on election day. The Chairman also renewed the commission’s vow to combat vote-buying, pledging close collaboration with anti-graft and law enforcement agencies. “The peace of Anambra State is non-negotiable,” he declared, signalling a firm stance against electoral malpractice.
As Anambra prepares to elect its next governor, the stakeholders’ final commitments and the electoral body’s high-level assurances aim to set the stage for a peaceful poll, watched closely across Nigeria and by the global community.
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