By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Saturday, said it would not conduct election in two polling units in Anambra State during the November 8 gubernatorial poll.
The INEC National Commissioner Supervising Anambra State and Chairman of Tenders Board Committee, Dr. Kenneth Ukeagu, who disclosed this at an interaction with journalists in Awka, explained that the affected two polling units had no registered voters.
Ukeagu, however, assured voters that election would be conducted across the remaining 5718 polling units concurrently because they have registered voters and the commission would deploying adequate security and 24,000 ad-hoc to them.
“Anambra State has 5720 polling units. We are expecting election results from 5718 polling units. But there will be no election or results from 2 polling units because no registered voters are allocated to them. We have engaged with relevant stakeholders. There will be greater improvement in this election,” he added.
According to him, the commission has trained and would deploy 24,000 ad-hoc staff to handle all the necessary INEC materials on election day even as their security and welfare packages had been improved upon.
Ukeagu further noted that their staff, security agents and drivers would be sleeping over at designated areas to facilitate their arrival before voters and quick commencement of voting on election day even as he noted that all the sensitive materials have been deployed to respective 21 Local Government Areas ahead of the November 8 poll.
“We are 99% ready for conduct of Anambra State governorship poll. We have upgraded our BVAS. They are working optimally. The only remaining task is to move our staff and materials to the polling units. We have met with relevant stakeholders and concluded our plans.
“The drivers will be paid 50% mobilisation fees by next week as agreed and 50% after the exercise. Provisions have been made for hiring boats where necessary, so in terms of logistics, we are ready. The PVC collection is ongoing in all designated centers and will come to an end on Sunday,” he stated.
Also speaking, the INEC National Commissioner, Mr. Sam Olumekun, announced that 540 media personnel would receive their tags for adequate protection in the election, while urging them to assist the commission in sensitising the electorate on peaceful conduct throughout the exercise as their votes would count.
Earlier in the day, a delegation from the National headquarters, Abuja of the commission such as the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Mr Sam Olumekun; Professor Rhoda Gumus (National Commissioner and Chair of Planning, Monitoring & Strategy Committee); Dr Baba Bila (National Commissioner and Chairman of Electoral Operations and Logistics Committee); and Dr Kenneth Ikeagu (National Commissioner supervising Anambra and Chairman Tenders Board Committee) toured some areas where mock exercise was held in Anambra State and expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness demonstrated by INEC officials, as well as commended the positive feedback from the voters who participated.
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