Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured political parties of its adherence to the remaining timeline for the November 8 Anambra governorship election.
Acting chairman of INEC, May Agbamuche-Mbu, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja during the commission’s third regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties.
Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu, however, urged political parties to comply with the commission’s scheduled activities for the state governorship election.
She said that the commission had already completed 10 out of the 13 key activities scheduled for the Anambra poll.
The outstanding activities, according to her, include: the publication of notice of poll slated for October 25; the last day for campaigns, November 6 and the date of the election – November 8.
“The commission is committed to keeping strictly to the remaining activities, as detailed in the timetable and schedule of activities.
“Political parties are therefore called upon to be mindful of the last day for campaigns and keep strictly to it,” she said.
The acting INEC chairman said that the commission had been working assiduously and making arrangements for the successful conduct of the election.
She also said that the electoral body had had several engagements with the security agencies at national, state and local government levels.
According to her, all non-sensitive materials for the election have been delivered to the state, while voter education and sensitisation are also ongoing.
Mrs Agbamuche-Mbu commended the response of Nigerians to the ongoing nationwide continuous voter registration (CVR).
“For us, this is a testament that Nigerians believe in our democracy and the efforts of the commission towards ensuring that all eligible Nigerians are given the right to determine who leads them,” she said.
The acting INEC chairman said that the exercise, which began on August 18, would run for a year, ending on Aug. 30, 2026.
Commending the immediate past INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu’s contributions to the electoral process, she said that he left behind a legacy of innovation, institutional strength and integrity.
“Today, we acknowledge with deep appreciation his (Yakubu’s) invaluable contribution, not just to INEC but to democracy across the (African) continent,” she said.
In his remarks, the national chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle, urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the ongoing constitutional and electoral reforms.
Mr Dantalle said that IPAC had already submitted its proposals, including a call for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), recommending that the responsibility of conducting all local government elections be vested in INEC.
Other key reforms proposed by IPAC, he said, were the restoration of funding for political parties to ensure a level-playing field as well as the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission to prosecute electoral offenders.
The IPAC national chairman also listed the removal of the power to appoint INEC chairman, national commissioners and resident electoral commissioners from the executive to guarantee the commission’s independence from political influence.
He said that the upcoming Anambra election would serve as a “litmus test” for the new leadership of the commission and set the stage for subsequent polls, including the ‘decisive’ 2027 general elections.
“Nigerians expect credible, transparent and inclusive elections where every vote is counted and counts in the overall result.
“The success of this off-cycle election will set the stage for the upcoming elections in 2026, including the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls, Osun and Ekiti States’ gubernatorial elections and the decisive 2027 general elections,” he stated.
Mr Dantalle urged INEC to put its acts together and get it right.
(NAN)