Published By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have been speaking on the shape of polls Nigerians should expect from the Anambra gubernatorial election.
In a statement issued on Friday, INEC Chairman Prof Yakub Mahmood said though 5720 wards have been delineated, elections would only take place in 5634 polling units, as 86 units have no voters, a development that would not make INEC deploy personnel and electoral materials to those polluing units.
Further breaking down the demographics of the forthcoming election, the INEC Chief said 894 polling units, (15.6%) have beween one and 49 voters, declaring that notwithstanding the low voters registration, election would hold in those polling units, even as he assured that INEC would continue to work with all stakehiolders to ensure that all polling units have votes allotted to them ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He said INEC has furnished all the 18 political parties participating in the forthcoming elections with the voters register in line with the provisions of the constitution even as he said the list of all polling units where there are no voters as well as those with less than 50 voters have been compiled and would be made available to all the political parties as well as ensuring that they are published on the Commission’s website.
The INEC Chairman said 17 out of the 18 parties jostling for votes in the governorship election have uploaded the names of all their polling agents to the dedicated server provided by INEC, added that the only party that failed to comply with the deadline to get this done latest October 21, 2021, also have a governorship candidate as well as a running mate participating in the election.
With just a few days to the Anambra election, it is our hope that any lingering grey areas will be discussed and addressed.