AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE
A prominent Nigerian civil society coalition has issued a cautious statement on the eve of the Anambra State governorship election, raising concerns over security troop numbers and demanding timely polls, despite an overall ‘relatively peaceful’ pre-election environment.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room), an election observation body, acknowledged promises of readiness from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies but stressed that a credible outcome is essential to “reinforce public trust in the democratic process in the South-East.”The election, scheduled for Saturday in the state’s 5,718 polling units, marks the first major assignment for INEC’s newly appointed Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan.
Concerns over Troop Deployment
A key area of concern highlighted by the Situation Room is the massive deployment of 45,000 security personnel, primarily from the Nigeria Police Force. While acknowledging the need for security, the group described the high number as “a clear manifestation of deficits within our democratisation process.” ” After 26 years of regular elections, it is expected that with each election cycle, there will be a draw down in the number of security personnel,” the statement read, calling the present circumstances “unacceptable” and demanding professional conduct from the deployed personnel.
Praise for Calm Atmosphere, Calls for Voter Turnout
In a positive assessment, the coalition noted a “relatively peaceful atmosphere” in Anambra State, contrasting it with the “very tensed situation” that surrounded the last governorship poll. This improvement was partly attributed to a reduction in deliberate misinformation and disinformation. However, the Situation Room expressed hope that this calm will translate into higher participation, noting that Anambra State remains one of the states with the lowest rate of voter turnout in Nigeria.
Demands for INEC Performance
The observer group stressed that INEC’s role in ensuring the election’s credibility is “indisputable” and laid out clear expectations for the electoral body: Timeliness: Demanding the early deployment of staff and materials to ensure polls open precisely at 8:30 am across all locations, including riverine areas.
Technology: Ensuring the effective use and full functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices and the “real-time transmission” of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal. Transparency: Calling for an efficient result tabulation process to prevent “desperate politicians tempering with election results,” an issue that has “dented the credibility of elections in Nigeria. “Inclusivity: Welcoming INEC’s deployment of Sign Language Interpreters in partnership with its member organisation, TAF Africa, to assist deaf and hard of hearing voters. The Situation Room, which has deployed trained observers across the state, concluded by calling on eligible voters to “come out and peacefully exercise their civic duty,” while urging them to avoid selling their votes, which is “illegal and undermines the development of the State.”
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