Anambra: Election materials must arrive polling units by 7am, INEC chairman declares
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By Omeiza Ajayi
Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has issued a firm directive that all election materials must arrive at their designated polling units by 7am on election day.
Amupitan, according to his spokesman, Dayo Oketola, gave the order on Sunday during an inspection of INEC offices in Awka and Oyi Local Government Areas of the state, as part of final readiness checks for the November 8 election.
He emphasized that polling must commence promptly by 8:30am, stressing that no delay in logistics or personnel deployment would be tolerated.
“Every material must be at the polling unit by 7am. Polling must start at 8:30am without excuses. Nigerians deserve a process that begins and ends on time, and INEC is determined to meet that standard,” the INEC chairman declared.
He reaffirmed that the Commission was fully prepared to deliver a peaceful, transparent, and credible election, warning against attempts by “vested interests” to discredit the process.
“Our responsibility is to the people of this nation. We are fully prepared to deliver an election that is fair, credible and reflective of the people’s will,” he said.
Amupitan, who inspected materials and logistics readiness alongside National Commissioners Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, and others, said the Commission’s focus is on operational efficiency and transparency.
The INEC Chairman also directed that collation of results must take place in the presence of party agents and that results must align precisely with data captured by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS.
Prof. Amupitan reiterated INEC’s collaboration with political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, and the media, saying transparency and partnership would remain the foundation of the process.
“We are committed to carrying every stakeholder along. Transparency and partnership remain the bedrock of our credibility,” he said.
Providing an operational update, the Anambra Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr. Elizabeth Agwu, said all non-sensitive materials had been distributed to the 21 Local Government Areas, while BVAS devices had been configured, tested, and certified ready.
“We have left nothing to chance. From the training of personnel to the deployment of materials, every necessary step has been taken to ensure a smooth, credible, and technology-driven election,” she assured.
Agwu added that generators had been deployed in strategic locations to ensure an uninterrupted power supply during voting and collation.
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