(Soludo faces 15 challengers in Saturday?s Anambra governorship election amid high expectations)

All is set for the Anambra governorship election billed for Saturday, November 8, where 16 governorship candidates from various political parties including the incumbent governor of the state, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo would be doing battle.

Among the political parties contesting the election are; Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Paul Chukwuma of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Mr. John Nwosu of African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Dr. George Moghalu of Labour Party (LP).

Others are Oti Echezona of Allied People?s Movement (APM), Ms. Chioma Ifemeludike of AAC, Jeff Nweke of Action Alliance (AA), Charles Onyeze of Accord, Geoff Onyejegbu of New Nigeria People?s Party (NNPP), Jude Ezenwafor of People?s Democratic Party (PDP), and Chukwududem Nweke of Action Peoples Party (APP).

Some more include; Jerry Okeke of Boot Party, Ndidi Olieh of National Rescue Movement (NRM), Martin Ugwoji of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Vincent Chukwurah of Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Out of the 16, only few are properly rooted in the state, with candidates who posses the capability to win the election. Six of the most popular among them include: Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Nicholas Ukachukwu, Dr George Moghalu, Mr John Nwosu, Sir Paul Chukwuma and Chief Jeff Nweke.

Of the six however, the zoning arrangement in the state which has remained an unwritten pact, but very much effective seems to make it near impossible for two of the candidates earlier mentioned. They are; Paul Chukwuma and Chief Jeff Nweke who hail from the Northern and Central senatorial zone respectively.

There have been arguments if others who are favoured by the zoning arrangement which favours candidates from Anambra South zone can truly unseat Soludo, who despite being from same favoured zone is also from a dominant political party (APGA) in the state, and yet holds the power of incumbency.

Soludo is believed by many to have performed well in his first tenure, and is also very well liked among the people, while some other believe his administration has been trailed with poor performance and riddled with insecurity.

Meanwhile, a total of 2,802,790 registered voters would participate in the election. Some members of the public who spoke to THISDAY insist that they are ready with their voters? card to elect a candidate of their choice.

Members of the media and other election observers have also been accredited for election coverage, with strict instructions that only accredited observers would be allowed to move around, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies have expressed readiness for the exercise.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting held with political parties and their candidates on Wednesday, the INEC chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan said officials of the commission are ready to give Anambra the best.

He revealed that some individuals were determined to cause confusion and undermine the credibility of the polls through vote buying, but assured stakeholders that despite such distractions, the commission remained fully committed to conducting a free, fair, and credible election in the state. ?INEC is fully prepared for this election. We will not tolerate any acts capable of compromising the integrity of the electoral process,? he vowed.

Also, the head of security during election duty, CP Abayomi Shogunle who has already resumed duty, told journalists through a press release signed by the spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, that he is set for the job.

Ikenga said: ?Upon assumption of duty, CP Shogunle activated the IGP?s Enforcement Protocol for anti-electoral offences to ensure zero tolerance for ballot snatching, vote-buying, political thuggery, and voter intimidation. The CP has also emplaced a central command framework to ensure real-time intelligence sharing, coordination, and rapid response with a joint deployment of over 60,000 security personnel of agencies within the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) who will secure the 5,720 polling units with tactical reserves along inter-LGA and State boundaries, and also designated election collation centres.?

Ikenga quoted Shogunle as reiterating a total ban on all vigilante groups and all other quasi-security groups in the state as only the federal government security agencies are authorized to provide election security duties as provided by the laws of the federation. He said VIP movements with armed escorts or security aides at polling or collation centres are strictly prohibited, as violators will face immediate apprehension, withdrawal of such escorts, and prosecution. ?Only designated INEC officials, accredited observers, and journalists are allowed to move freely between designated areas,? Shogunle said.

A public affairs analyst, Mr Ikechukwu Eze told THISDAY that Anambra would be expecting very free, fair and credible election from INEC.

He said: ?I don?t see any impediment in the way of INEC from giving us the best election ever. The candidates have signed peace accord, and even the governor of the state affirmed that the candidates are ready to play by the rules and eschew violence. I do not see anything in their way from conducting an acceptable election now,? he said.

The State government also announced a public holiday for all public and civil servants. An announcement by the head of service, Bare Theodora Igwegbe stated that the public holiday is to allow workers move to places they are registered to vote as there would be no movement on election day. (AriseNews TV)

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