As preparations reach their peak for Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has expressed deep concern over the security situation in parts of the state, warning that insecurity could undermine the smooth conduct of the poll if not adequately addressed.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on Thursday, Itodo said that while pre-election activities had been largely peaceful, insecurity remains a “major issue,” particularly in riverine and high-risk communities.
“The second biggest issue ahead of the election is insecurity in certain hotspots and riverine areas.
“If security agencies do not ensure adequate protection for INEC personnel and materials, deployment might be hindered, ” he said.
The Yiaga Africa boss urged security agencies to work closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to safeguard voters, officials, and electoral materials throughout the process.
“We expect full cooperation between the security agencies and INEC to ensure a peaceful and credible exercise.
”So far, things appear calm, and the state seems ready for voting,” he added.
Despite security concerns, Itodo expressed optimism that voter participation would improve compared to the 2021 governorship election, which recorded a turnout of just 20.1 percent.
“We are hopeful that voter turnout will be significantly higher this time. The 2021 figure was abysmally low,” he remarked, noting that civic education and voter awareness campaigns had intensified in recent weeks.
He commended the new INEC leadership for what he described as a “renewed commitment to transparency and efficiency,” expressing confidence that polling would commence promptly across the state.
“With assurances from the new INEC chairman, we hope the commission finally breaks the jinx of late commencement,” Itodo said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of election duty, Abayomi Shogunle, has assured residents of comprehensive security coverage across all parts of the state, including hard-to-reach riverine areas.
Speaking in Awka on Thursday, Shogunle gave the assurance as INEC officials arrived at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to collect sensitive election materials for onward distribution to the 21 local government areas.
The exercise, which was supervised by Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Queen Agwu, was witnessed by party agents, journalists, and election observers.
Although the collection process began later than the scheduled 10 a.m., officials confirmed that distribution proceeded smoothly.
INEC has disclosed that 2,802,790 registered voters are expected to participate in the election across 5,718 polling units spread across the 21 local government areas of the state.
The police commissioner, however, revealed that voting would not take place in two polling units where there are no registered voters.
A total of 16 candidates are vying for the governorship position.
They 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 People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan has reaffirmed the commission’s readiness to deliver a credible and peaceful poll, warning political parties, agents, and voters against vote-buying and electoral violence.
With heightened security deployment, logistical preparations nearing completion, and renewed public engagement, Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra is set to test the state’s democratic resilience.
However, as Yiaga Africa cautions, the extent of security cooperation and voter confidence will ultimately determine the credibility and turnout of the 2025 poll.
