INEC assures on peaceful governorship election in Anambra

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, on Thursday assured Nigerians that the Anambra State governorship election slated for the weekend would be peaceful.

Yakubu, who gave the assurance at the signing of the peace accord by candidates taking part in the governorship election, appealed to political parties, candidates, and other actors to play by the rules.

He noted that the involvement of the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by a former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, ensured the peaceful conduct of the Edo and Ondo States governorship elections held last year.

He pointed out that the Anambra election would not be an exception.

The INEC chief said: “Many Nigerians may recall that when the NPC initiated the signing of the peace accord by chairmen of political parties and candidates ahead of the 2015 and 2019 general election, the focus was on the presidential election to the exclusion of other elections. Since then, INEC and other well-meaning Nigerians have appealed to the NPC to devolve the initiative to major off-season elections at the state level.

“Concerned about the threat to peaceful elections, INEC appealed to the NPC to intervene in the last two governorship elections. In response, and for the first time, the NPC organised the peace accord in Edo on 15th of September, 2020, followed by Ondo on the 5th of October, 2020.

READ ALSO: All sensitive electoral materials for Anambra election in Awka – INEC

“Despite the palpable tension in the build-up to the two elections, Edo and Ondo passed off peacefully and the elections were adjudged by all to be free, fair and credible.

“Faced with the current situation in Anambra State, the commission once again appealed to the NPC to bring parties and candidates to commit to peace before, during and after the election.

“We believe that Anambra cannot be different from Edo and Ondo. For this reason, we are also confident that just like Edo and Ondo, the election on Saturday will be peaceful and the outcome will reflect the will of the Anambra voters.

“INEC has done everything possible to ensure credible elections in Anambra state under very difficult circumstances. I would like to appeal to all parties, candidates and other actors to play their roles in support of the peace accord.

“Without peace, our deployment plans, innovations in voter accreditation and result management, the safety of election duty personnel and accredited observers, security of election materials and ultimately the credibility of the polls will be undermined.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now