A file photo of an INEC official carrying a bag with electoral materials.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun distributing both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials for the upcoming by-elections in Anambra-South Senatorial District and Onitsha-North 1 State Constituency, set for August 16.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra, Dr. Elizabeth Agwu, said the commencement of the distribution process on Thursday in Awka.
The exercise took place at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) premises, with representatives from political parties, security agencies, and the media present to ensure transparency.
“We’ve been diligently preparing for the Anambra South Senatorial and Onitsha North State House of Assembly by-elections, necessitated by the unfortunate passing of the previous officeholders,” Agwu stated.
“Today, at the CBN, we’re accessing sensitive materials like ballot papers and result sheets, while other items, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and Electronic Voter Registration (EVR), were packed at our INEC office.”
Agwu confirmed that sensitive materials arrived at the CBN on Wednesday night, with non-sensitive materials already in INEC’s possession.
“We opened everything in the presence of all stakeholders—political parties, observers, media, and security agencies—and they verified that the process was transparent, with no irregularities,” she added.
The materials, intended for the eight local government areas hosting the polls, were received and signed for by political parties and their agents for onward distribution.
The by-elections aim to fill the vacant seats left by the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the late Mr. Justice Azuka of the Labour Party (LP), who represented Anambra South and Onitsha North 1, respectively.
Urging voters to participate, Agwu said, “We encourage the electorate to come out in large numbers and vote for their preferred candidates. Ignore rumors suggesting that results have been predetermined or that the process will be manipulated.”
She noted that vehicles were already transporting materials to the local government areas to facilitate the election process.
Approximately 8,400 ad hoc staff, with four assigned per polling unit, will support the elections. Over 8,170 registered voters are expected to participate in the Onitsha North 1 poll, though the figure for the Anambra South Senatorial election was unavailable at the time of reporting.
Agwu also assured the public of robust security measures, following a meeting with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security and stakeholders from the eight local government areas. “Security agencies, including the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Department of State Services (DSS), have been deployed to ensure a peaceful and transparent process,” she said.
“They’ve guaranteed the safety of Anambra residents and warned that anyone not involved in voting should stay clear to avoid trouble.”
