The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, on Sunday, promised not to fail in the conduct of the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November 8th.

He also issued a firm directive that all election materials must arrive at the polling units by 7:00am; polling must commence at 8:30am without delay; collation must take place in the presence of party agents and collated results must align precisely with BVAS records.

While assuring citizens and stakeholders of a peaceful, transparent, and credible process, he restated the commitment of INEC and its readiness for the exercise.

Amupitan, according to a statement from the compassion, gave the assurance during a high-level inspection visit to the state office of INEC in Awka, ahead of the Stakeholders’ Meeting coming up on Monday.

“Our responsibility is to the people of this nation. We are fully prepared to deliver an election that is fair, credible, and reflective of the people’s will. We are committed to carrying every stakeholder along in this process. Transparency and partnership remain the bedrock of our credibility”, he assured and warned against “attempts by vested interests to discredit the process.”

He however said that INEC remained focused and undeterred in the discharge of its constitutional mandate.

During the visit, the chairman issued a firm directive that all election materials must arrive at the polling units by 7:00am; polling must commence at 8:30am without delay; collation must take place in the presence of party agents and collated results must align precisely with BVAS records.

Amupitan reiterated that strong security arrangements had been instituted to safeguard personnel, voters, and materials throughout the process.

With these comprehensive assurances, INEC, according to the chairman, has sent a strong signal of its operational capacity, vigilance, and unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process in Anambra State.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Anambra State, Dr. Elizabeth Agwu, confirmed that all non-sensitive materials had been distributed to the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.

According to her, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) had been fully configured, tested, and adjudged ready for deployment.

“We have left nothing to chance. From the training of personnel to the deployment of materials, every necessary step has been taken to ensure a smooth, credible and technology-driven election. Generators have also been deployed to ensure uninterrupted power supply at critical locations” Agwu stated.

The commission underscored the central role of collaboration with political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, and the media in guaranteeing the success of the election.

As part of the readiness review, the INEC Chairman, accompanied by National Commissioners — May Agbamuche-Mbu, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Professor Abdullahi Zuru, Sam Olumekun, Prof. Sami Adam, Dr. Baba Bila, and Prof. Sunday Aja — also visited INEC offices in Oyi and Awka South Local Government Areas to assess final preparations.

Anambra State Electoral Officers, Olivia Nkem (Oyi) and Chinyere Ozoagu (Awka South), conducted the team around their facilities, showcasing election materials already batched for onward movement to Registration Areas. (AriseNews TV)