Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Anambra State, Dr. Queen Agwu, has insisted that elections would hold in the state in spite of the security challenges there.
There are 5,720 polling units in the 21 local government areas of the state.
Dr. Agwu also said that of the 2.5 million people registered voters in the state, only 5,000 people did not pick up their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The Anambra REC stated these, on Friday, during a press conference.
She maintained that sensitive and non-sensitive materials had arrived in the 21 local government areas except six polling units with zero registration.
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She also assured of INEC’s readiness for the conduct of the 2023 general elections in the state, insisting that insecurity was not going to be an issue. She stressed that security operatives had been deployed in all the local governments and are poised to action.
Head her, “Election will be held in all the local government areas of Anambra State, despite insecurity.
“We have deployed staff in all polling units in the state. We have a lot of security personnel in the state and we are conducting elections in all the polling units in the state.
“We don’t want to disenfranchise anybody in the state. The commission has fully deployed materials in all the 21 local government councils in the state and it is prepared for the peaceful conduct of the elections.
“The Federal Government has deployed enough security men in the system to ensure that the election was peaceful and free, the Commission will conduct free and fair elections in the state in line with INEC directive and we urge the people to come out and vote, go home and leave us to announce the result.”
She urged people of the state to come out in their numbers to vote for the candidate of their choice as every vote in the state would count.
She continued, “Don’t stay in your house and say your votes will not count, I want to assure you that every vote in the state will count, please come out and vote.
“On the security of corps members and ad hoc staff, the security operatives have made enough security provision for them and there is no need to panic.
“The so-called flash points areas in the state are false. In those areas, workers are there. The insecurity in Anambra is not as bad as being broadcast on social media.
“People are just heating up the system. We will also conduct an election in Ihiala Local Government Area because people are contesting for positions in the area.
“The accreditation in this election is going to be done within a few minutes because of the use of BVAS and rigging is no more effective because of the technology.
“INEC is prepared to give you what you want. Do not remain in your house and be grumbling.
“Concerning the PVCs that were found in the bush a few days ago, we don’t know who owns the cards, but INEC and security operatives are digging the ground to ensure those who own the PVCs and as soon as the owners are unravelled, Nigerians will be informed,” she added.
