INEC: We’re confident that like Edo and Ondo, Anambra guber poll will be peaceful

November 4, 2021 10:06 pm

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has expressed confidence that the Anambra governorship election will be “as peaceful” as that of Edo and Ondo states.

Yakubu said this on Thursday at the signing of the peace pact by candidates for the governorship election scheduled to hold on November 6.

Speaking at the event, he said the involvement of the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, contributed to the peaceful elections conducted in Edo and Ondo in 2020.

“Many Nigerians may recall that when the NPC initiated the signing of the peace accord by chairmen of political parties and candidates ahead of the 2015 and 2019 general election, the focus was on presidential election to the exclusion of other elections. Since then, INEC and other well-meaning Nigerians have appealed to the NPC to devolve the initiative to major off-season elections at state level,” he said.

“Concerned about the threat to peaceful elections, INEC appealed to the NPC to intervene in the last two governorship elections. In response, and for the first time, the NPC organised the peace accord in Edo on 15th of September, 2020, followed by Ondo on the 5th of October, 2020.

“Despite the palpable tension in the build-up to the two elections, Edo and Ondo passed off peacefully and the elections were adjudged by all to be free, fair and credible.

“Faced with the current situation in Anambra state, the commission once again appealed to the NPC to bring parties and candidates to commit to peace before, during and after the election.

“We believe that Anambra cannot be different from Edo and Ondo. For this reason, we are also confident that just like Edo and Ondo, the election on Saturday will be peaceful and the outcome will reflect the will of the Anambra voters.

“INEC has done everything possible to ensure credible elections in Anambra state under very difficult circumstances. I would like to appeal to all parties, candidates and other actors to play their roles in support of the peace accord.

“Without peace, our deployment plans, innovations in voter accreditation and result management, safety of election duty personnel and accredited observers, security of election materials and ultimately the credibility of the polls will be undermined.”