The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), has said it is mobilizing all necessary logistics in readiness for the conduct of the August 29th Local Government Elections in the state.
The Commission said it is currently arranging the non-sensitive materials and booking the sensitive materials for the elections.
The ANSIEC Commissioner in charge of Information and Publicity, Chief Anthony Chinedu, disclosed this on Tuesday, while speaking with journalists in his office in Awka.
Acknowledging that the materials will take some time to access, Chief Chinedu assured Anambra people that they will be ready by the end of April, or at the latest by May 2026.
He maintained that Anambra elections have always been credible and peaceful, pledging that the ANSIEC is committed to conducting free, fair, and credible elections for Ndi-Anambra as usual.
The ANSIEC Information Commissioner regretted what he described as the high level of voter apathy in Anambra state, which he noted is increasing with every election period.
“Our people are yet to understand what it means to go out and vote. Somebody will just say that he doesn’t like what the government is doing, and for that reason, he wouldn’t vote.
“That’s wrong, because when you refuse to vote, you are indirectly giving your approval for wrong people to take over the government; it is as simple as that,” he posited.
Chinedu advised eligible voters in the state to exercise their franchise by voting for whoever they believe will provide them dividends of democracy, instead of blaming the outcome of the party primary election or the person who won the primary election.
He warned the people to shun self-protest, saying it would yield no positive outcome.
On why it seems like the state is running a one-party system as far as the August 29th local government election is concerned, the INEC spokesperson said that it was the people’s decision, adding that the Commission published timetables for the election sometime in September last year, with an open floor for all political parties in the state to participate.
Unfortunately, he noted, only two political parties fielded candidates.
“If you believe that you are a political party and you have the followers, why won’t you venture into the electoral program?
“Governor Chukwuma Soludo has no intention whatsoever to manipulate the elections as alleged by the general public. The Governor will not be in any ward except his ward in Isuoffia community on the election day.
So, how can somebody in a ward in Ayamelum allege that Governor Soludo will come to Ayamelum and manipulate an election conducted in the area? That’s impossible!” he insisted.
The ANSIEC spokesperson observed that the issue remained that many parties abandoned the contest because they were unsure of their grassroots support, stressing that Governor Soludo cannot interfere in the conduct of the LG polls.
