The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has called on eligible voters in Anambra State to participate actively in the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Speaking at a press conference at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, he emphasised that the greatest threat to democracy in the state is voter apathy, not just external violence.
Amupitan highlighted a declining trend in voter participation over past elections, noting that turnout in the 2013 governorship election was only 25.5 per cent, dropping to 20.10 per cent in 2017, and falling further to 10.27 per cent in 2021.
He described the trend as a serious concern and urged citizens to exercise their civic duty by casting their votes.
He assured that the commission is committed to delivering a credible, inclusive, and transparent election and encouraged voters to participate without fear or favour.
Amupitan stressed that democracy thrives when citizens actively choose their leaders.
The INEC chairman also reported significant progress in voter preparedness, revealing that 98.80 per cent of voters had collected their Permanent Voter Cards after an extension of the collection period, which he described as yielding excellent results.
The upcoming governorship election will feature sixteen candidates across 21 local government areas, with 2,802,790 registered voters expected to vote at 5,718 polling units.
To maintain peace and security during the election, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, approved the deployment of 45,000 police officers throughout the state.
Electoral materials were observed on standby in preparation for the polls, reflecting the commission’s determination to ensure smooth and organised voting across Anambra State.
Amupitan’s appeal underscores the importance of voter engagement in strengthening democracy and ensuring credible elections.
Meanwhile, INEC has commenced the distribution of sensitive election materials to all local government areas in Anambra State ahead of the governorship election scheduled for Saturday.
The exercise began on Thursday at the INEC headquarters in Awka and was conducted under heavy security. Officials were seen sorting and loading materials into vehicles designated for each of the 21 local government areas across the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra, Queen Agwu, supervised the process alongside the Commissioner of Police for election duty, Abayomi Shogunle, who reaffirmed that police officers were fully prepared to ensure security across both land and riverine communities during the election.
According to INEC, a total of 2,802,790 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots across 5,718 polling units in the 21 local government areas. The commission also confirmed that elections will not hold in two polling units due to the absence of registered voters.
The governorship election will feature 16 candidates representing different political parties. The candidates include the incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), among others.
Party agents, journalists, and election observers were present at the INEC headquarters to monitor the distribution exercise. Security personnel escorted the vehicles conveying the materials to ensure safe delivery to the various local government areas.
The distribution marks one of the final stages in the commission’s preparation for the election. INEC had earlier assured that all sensitive and non-sensitive materials would be deployed on time to prevent late commencement of voting on election day.
Commissioner Shogunle reiterated the readiness of the police and other security agencies to provide maximum protection throughout the election period. He explained that a detailed security plan had been designed to cover every part of the state, including difficult-to-reach riverine lolcations.
Civil society organizations and election observers have continued to call for a peaceful and credible process, urging voters to come out en masse and conduct themselves lawfully on election day.
Channels Television correspondent Taiwo Adesina, who monitored the distribution in Awka, reported that officials and security operatives worked in coordination to ensure the smooth dispatch of materials to all local governments. Trucks carrying ballot papers, result sheets, and other sensitive materials were seen leaving the INEC office under police supervision.
INEC has maintained that it is fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, and transparent governorship election in Anambra State in accordance with its operational guidelines.
