Anambra election will be an improvement to past elections – Jega

The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) on Wednesday said the Nov.
16 gubernatorial election in Anambra would be
an improvement to the past elections. The National Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru
Jega, gave the assurance at a forum with the
political party leaders, candidates and
stakeholders in Awka. Jega said the past mistakes encountered in
some polling units in the state had been
addressed. He decried the criticism on the relocation of
polling units, noting that they were moved
from farmland in Oyi Local Government Area to
Nteje where there was presence of people. “We would continue to improve on this process
in the country until a desirable standard is
achieved. “We have conducted fair and free elections in
Edo, Ondo and Anambra will not only be
different, but better. “It is our prayer that Anambra people will live
up to their responsibility by supporting INEC
and assist in achieving a desired goals for the
electoral process,” he said. The chairman said the 4, 608 polling units and
326 wards in the state would be manned
adequately by the security operatives and naval
base having in mind the riverrine areas. Jega said commissioners of police would head
the security team in the three senatorial zones,
while security at wards and polling units would
be beefed up to forestall any security breach. He said the 23 governorship candidates would
be given level playing ground to exercise their
civic responsibilities and no candidate would be
allowed police ordeal on Election Day. “Nobody, not even government functionaries
and party agents would be allowed to move
from one polling unit to another, either for
monitoring or other check. “It is only those accredited by the commission
alone that would be allowed to move round. “Please, if you do not have business working
for the success of the election, do not violate
the directives as INEC will not tolerate any
insurgent. “INEC would not allow anything that could pose
danger to electorate, therefore, please drop
your walking stick, umbrella or machete at
home while coming to vote,” he said. He said accreditation of voters would
commence by 8 a.m., and end by noon, while
the accredited voters would be announced
publicly and recorded immediately. Jega said voting would commence at exactly
12.30p.m after every check had been
completed in a secret ballot box placed in the
open. The INEC chairman urged voters to shun voting
more than once and that selling of voters’ card
would not be allowed. He said that INEC would adhere strictly with its
one-man-one vote policy during the election. The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof.
Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, said the distribution
of election materials would be done on Nov. 14
and Nov. 15. (NAN)