…As 16 candidates sign peace accord

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has assured Nigerians that the upcoming Anambra State off-cycle governorship election will be peaceful and credible, vowing to deal with election malpractice.

He gave this assurance at the ongoing signing of the peace accord, convened by the National Peace Committee (NPC), led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

In his goodwill message, Professor Amupitan praised the NPC for its “unwavering commitment to fostering peaceful elections in Nigeria,” noting that the devolution of the Peace Accord to off-cycle governorship elections has been a critical factor in reducing electoral tensions and violence.

“After witnessing the success of the Peace Accord at the national level, the NPC graciously agreed, five years ago, to our request to devolve its signing. This became necessary given the tensions and violence that have accompanied some past elections,” Amupitan stated.

He, however, emphasized that the signatures on the document are symbolic and must be backed by genuine action. “It is not the signatures on this document that guarantee peace; it is the genuine commitment to honouring its provisions,” he cautioned, urging the 16 participating political parties and their candidates to ensure the message of peace cascades to their supporters at all levels.To bolster confidence in the process, Professor Amupitan outlined the Commission’s comprehensive preparations for the election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025. He revealed that INEC has fine-tuned deployment plans for 24,000 personnel and election materials across the state’s 5,718 Polling Units and hundreds of collation centres. “Voters should therefore expect a significant improvement in Election Day logistics,” he affirmed.

The Commission has approved a final register of 2,802,790 eligible voters and also reaffirmed INEC’s resolve to firmly combat vote-buying, warning that “any individuals or groups planning to subvert the will of the people will be firmly confronted within the strong hands of the law.”

On the critical issue of security, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) has instituted robust measures. He confirmed that the Nigeria Police Force will deploy 45,000 personnel and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will deploy 10,250 officers to secure the electoral process.

Concluding his message on an optimistic note, he declared: “Let us work together to ensure that the upcoming election is remembered not for division or discord, but for its spirit of unity and the pursuit of common goals. Let us demonstrate to the world that Anambra State is a beacon of hope, resilience, and democratic values.

At the event, 16 party candidates signed the peace accord and pledged to conduct themselves in accordance with the rules and regulations guiding the electoral process.

Also addressing the gathering, Bishop Hassan Kukah, Convener of NPC, explained that the initiative seeks to strengthen confidence in the democratic process. He urged INEC and other relevant institutions to discharge their duties with fairness and integrity.

Similarly, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations), Ben Okolo, assured that the Nigeria Police Force is fully prepared to maintain calm and order during the election. He stated that detailed security strategies have been mapped out in collaboration with sister agencies to safeguard lives and property throughout the exercise (SUN)