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Anambra guber: We advised voters to transfer to polling units nearer to them –INEC

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) advised voters in Anambra State to seize the opportunity of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise to transfer to the new polling units most convenient for them but apparently they did not. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at a meeting with leadership of political parties, attributed this to the security situation in the state, which, he said, has affected the commission’s pre-election outdoor activities. Prof. Yakubu however said 86 out of 5,720 polling units will have no voters in next Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State.

INEC had created an additional 1,112 polling units in the state during this year’s delineation exercise. Before the new addition, Anambra had 4,608 polling units. The INEC Chairman also stated that 894 polling units (about 15.6 per cent) will have between one and 49 voters, but added that election will hold in these polling units.

Prof. Yakubu however stated that the commission will not be deploying personnel and materials to 86 polling units where there would be no voters. He explained that INEC “did not use its powers under Section 42 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) to allot voters to the new polling units in order to minimise the disruptions that may occur from such a decision in view of the forthcoming governorship election.” Prof. Yakubu stated the commission has compiled a comprehensive list of all the polling units without voters as well as those having under 50 registered voters. He assured that INEC will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure that all polling units have voters allotted to them ahead of the 2023 general election.

Prof. Yakubu also disclosed that one out of the 18 political parties that fielded candidate for the Anambra election, “failed to nominate a single agent for any polling unit or collation centre although it has a governorship candidate and a running mate participating in the election.” The deadline for submission of party agents was October 21.

He expressed the hope that “any lingering grey areas” facing the conduct of the election would be addressed at the meeting. The INEC Chairman disclosed that all non-sensitive materials for the election have been moved to the 21 Local Government Areas of the state. He stated that “the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is handling the delivery of sensitive materials to the state on schedule.

“Our state office in Awka is arranging for stakeholders to inspect the materials at the premises of the CBN in Awka. “As is the case in all elections, the sensitive materials are moved under security escort to each Local Government Area from where they are distributed to the Registration Areas or wards and finally to polling units on election day,” he said.

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