Anambra poll: INEC free to transmit results electronically, says n’assembly panel

The national assembly joint committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the commission is free to use electronic means to transmit results in the forthcoming Anambra election.

The governorship election has been fixed for November 6.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday after meeting with officials of the commission and stakeholders in Abuja, Kabiru Gaya, chairman of the senate committee on INEC, said results in Edo and Ondo governorship elections were transmitted electronically.

“It is left for INEC to decide whether it will transfer the election results in Anambra or not,” the senator said.

“They have done that in the previous elections in Edo and Ondo states. Even before the INEC started transferring election results from polling units, Nigerians have been monitoring results of elections the moments they are being announced at polling stations and by 4pm.

“Even before the final results are announced, many Nigerians would have seen them on the internet. Nigerians are fully involved in elections.

“We expect the people of the state to cooperate fully with the electoral body by being law-abiding.”

The chairman said Anambra could only have free, fair, and credible elections when every stakeholder embraces peace.

Speaking on the level of preparedness for the Anambra poll, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said the commission has been able to deploy all the non-sensitive materials in all the LGAs of the state.

“We have recovered from the series of attacks on our facilities and I am happy to say that we have deployed all the non-sensitive materials to all the local government areas,” he said.

“We have trained the requisite number of adhoc staff for the election and we have also mobilized members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers for efficient distribution of materials on election day. As far as INEC is concerned, we are good to go on November 6, 2021.”