With the Anambra governorship election only hours away, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has expressed concern over the security situation in some parts of the state.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, November 6, Itodo said insecurity remained a major challenge ahead of the poll, especially in riverine and volatile areas where logistics and safety could pose serious hurdles.
“The second biggest issue [ahead of the election] relates to insecurity in some hot spots and riverine areas. If security agencies don’t provide protection for INEC officials and materials, deployment will be difficult,” he said.
He urged security agencies to coordinate closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that both election materials and personnel are properly protected during the exercise.
“We hope the security agencies cooperate with INEC and provide the necessary security. So far, everything seems peaceful, and the state is primed for voting,” Itodo added.
Despite his concerns, the Yiaga Africa chief expressed confidence that voter turnout would improve compared to the previous election in 2021.
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“We hope for a high turnout because, in 2021, the state only recorded about 20.1 per cent, which was abysmally low,” he noted.
He praised INEC’s new leadership for its readiness and commitment, expressing optimism that voting would begin on time across polling units.
“With the assurances from the new INEC chairman, we hope the commission breaks the jinx of late commencement,” Itodo said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police deployed for the election, Abayomi Shogunle, has assured residents of maximum security coverage across both land and riverine communities.
Sixteen candidates are contesting the governorship seat, including Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the APC, Paul Chukwuma of the YPP, George Moghalu of the Labour Party, and Jude Ezenwafor of the PDP.
INEC chairman, Joash Amupitan, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to ensuring a credible, transparent, and peaceful election, while cautioning political actors against vote-buying and any form of electoral misconduct.