The National Assembly joint committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), met with the leadership of the electoral umpire and heads of security personnel on Wednesday, to iron out modalities in ensuring hitch- free elections ahead of the governorship election in Anambra state on November 6.
Speaking after an interview, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya, assured Anambrarians and indeed all Nigerians, that by 4 pm on Sunday November 7, 2021, the people would be waiting to receive an announcement from INEC of the new governor-elect for Anambra state.
This was as the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the nation’s electoral body had recovered from the various attacks on the facilities of the Commission in the South-East and Anambra state in particular.
Yakubu spoke before holding a closed-door meeting with the joint Committee on INEC.
He therefore, said the Commission was ready to conduct a hitch-free Anambra gubernatorial elections.
He noted that the Commission, at the beginning of its preparations for the elections, lined up fourteen activities to be executed, out of which twelve had been successfully accomplished, with two to be executed in later days.
The INEC Chairman noted further, that the Commission would deliver the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of those who registered in the new registration exercise to the Anambra state capital, Awka on Thursday, for onward collection by their owners.
According to him, there would be radio announcements on the delivery, so that those without handsets could hear and go and pick up their voter cards.
Meanwhile, the committee lending its voice to the claims by the INEC boss, said the federal government had made adequate security arrangement to conduct the scheduled November 6, gubernatorial elections in Anambra state.
It also posited that all necessary materials required for the conduct of the highly threatened polls had been secured and made ready for the exercise.
The Committee chairman, Senator Gaya, made the statement shortly after his committee met with the INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu, and some heads of security agencies.
Yakubu and the INEC national commissioners and some security heads had met with the Senate Committee, to intimate the lawmakers with preparations and preparedness of the Commission to conduct the Anambra elections.
Gaya stated that all the sensitive materials had been set for the election, in addition to other logistics needed to have a hitch-free election in the currently volatile South-eastern state.
On the apprehension trailing the proposed elections, the politician noted that the security aspect had also been rejigged for effective protection of lives and property in the state, before, during and after the elections.
He commended journalists for effective reportage given to the forthcoming Anambra election, saying that the media had proven to be partner in progress in the nation’s development efforts.
On the controversy as to whether or not INEC would be allowed to transmit election results electronically, Senator Gaya said it was left for the Commission to determine the mode of transmission to use.