The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the upcoming Anambra State Governorship Election will be conducted in 5,718 out of the 5,720 polling units across the state.
According to the Commission, two polling units will be excluded from the process because they currently have no registered voters.
This information was disclosed by Dr. Kenneth Ikeagu, the National Commissioner overseeing Anambra State and Chairman of INEC’s Tenders Board Committee, during a readiness assessment visit by a delegation from INEC headquarters in Abuja.
According to Ikeagu, INEC has achieved 99% operational readiness for the November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State.
“We came all the way from Abuja to conduct what is called a readiness assessment for the gubernatorial election. We held meetings with critical stakeholders and monitored the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across the state, and we are satisfied with the level of preparedness. We are ready for the election,” he stated.
He assured that elections would be conducted in all polling units within Ihiala Local Government Area, a part of the state that was previously affected by security challenges.
“Security agencies said that they have successfully recovered and stabilised areas that were once threatened by insecurity. However, where challenges persist, INEC has contingency arrangements, including the use of local government area collation centers as was done during recent bye-elections to ensure that every eligible voter can cast his ballot,” he explained.
He also revealed that INEC would deploy approximately 24,000 ad-hoc staff across Anambra State to ensure the smooth and efficient conduct of the election.
On logistics, Ikeagu noted that the Commission had reached near-total readiness, with non-sensitive materials already distributed to INEC offices across the state, while sensitive materials would be delivered 24 hours before the election.
“We have signed Memoranda of Understanding with transport unions and vehicle owners to ensure the timely and secure movement of election materials. They will receive 50% of their payment before deployment and the balance after the election,” he stated.
He added that boats had been provided for the transportation of materials and personnel in riverine areas, stressing that accreditation would begin at 8:30 a.m., while INEC officials were expected to arrive at their polling units by 7:00 a.m.
Speaking on security, Dr. Ikeagu disclosed that the Commission had held meetings with heads of security agencies, who gave assurances that sufficient personnel would be deployed. Officers from neighbouring states would also be mobilised to strengthen security coverage throughout Anambra.
Commending residents of the state for their peaceful attitude ahead of the election, he said, “I commend Ndi Anambra for the maturity and calm they have displayed. Security is everybody’s business, not just that of the police. Let us all work together to ensure a peaceful and credible election.”
Ikeagu confirmed that the mock accreditation exercise conducted on Saturday evening was successful, with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) operating efficiently.
“The BVAS functioned effectively during the mock accreditation; the process took less than a minute per voter. This gives us confidence ahead of the main election,” he noted.
He also reminded registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), emphasising that INEC would not permit PVC collection by proxy.
“The election is a shared responsibility. Every voter must take it seriously by collecting their PVCs. After the election, uncollected PVCs will remain available at the local government offices, as they are the property of the individual voter,” he said.
