With a few hours to the Anambra governorship election, eligible voters across the 21 local government areas of the state are preparing to head to their polling units to elect a new governor.
From Awka, the state capital, to Nnewi North Local Government Area, PREMIUM TIMES observed a relatively calm and peaceful atmosphere on Friday, as residents moved about freely ahead of the poll scheduled for Saturday.
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However, heavily armed police and security operatives have been deployed to strategic locations across the state. A helicopter was also sighted conducting aerial surveillance around Awka and its environs.
While many residents who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES expressed optimism about the exercise, they voiced hopes that the right candidate would emerge victorious at the end of voting.
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Residents speak
Although some political analysts have projected an easy victory for the incumbent governor, Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), residents expressed mixed feelings about his chances at the polls.
“I don’t think it will be that easy for Mr Soludo to win the election. Many people, including myself, have benefited from his government. But we are worried that he might want to use his second term to amass wealth for himself,” said Chijioke, a tricycle rider in Awka.
He, however, said he would still like to see Mr Soludo re-elected because of the positive reforms his administration has introduced for tricycle operators.
“Before now, I bought tickets of between N500 and N1,000 daily before I could operate, but now I only have to make a N2,000 subscription to operate freely for a week. I have been making more money and spending less on tickets due to Mr Soludo’s policies,” he said with excitement.
Mr Chijioke added that tricycles now have registered bar codes pasted on them, making theft more difficult since stolen tricycles can easily be tracked. According to him, this has boosted riders’ confidence to work more safely.
He, however, expressed concern that things might change if Mr Soludo secures a second term, as some fear he could focus on personal enrichment.
Several other residents shared similar concerns. However, many believe the governor’s incumbency advantage could give him a clear edge over his opponents.
In Nnewi North, some motorists and commercial motorcyclists expressed confidence in Mr Soludo’s administration.
“Since he came on board, insecurity has reduced in our community (Ummudinkwa). It was not easy for us here. Several people were kidnapped before, but that has reduced significantly,” said Chukwuemeka, a resident of the community.
He, however, said he remains undecided about whether to vote for Mr Soludo or the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, in Saturday’s election.
As this reporter moved across Awka and Nnewi North, it was observed that residents were travelling to their respective communities in preparation for the election.
Similarly, it was observed that the billboards of all the other candidates in the election, alongside Mr Soludo, were conspicuously absent across major streets in the state capital. But Mr Soludo’s campaign billboards were carefully positioned at strategic locations.
At about 5:15 p.m., PREMIUM TIMES observed a heavy deployment of armed security personnel at the Nnewi Local Government Secretariat and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, where ad hoc officials had begun sorting and transporting election materials to designated Registration Area Centres (RACs) within the LGA.
Designated transport buses were seen being loaded with materials, while police vehicles and officers patrolled the premises.
Ad hoc staff, mostly serving corps members, were also seen being escorted to the INEC office to identify their respective duty locations.
CSOs speak
Meanwhile, in a statement on Friday, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room expressed some degree of satisfaction with the relatively peaceful atmosphere in Anambra State.
This, the group said, is in contrast to the very tense situation under which the last governorship election was held in the state.
“Situation Room believes that the state of anomaly was partly due to incessant and deliberate acts of misinformation and disinformation that permeated the state at the time,” the group said.
Additionally, Situation Room anticipated that the perceived positive ambience would help drive voters to the polls to exercise their democratic franchise on Saturday, given that Anambra State continues to be among the states with the lowest rate of voter turnout.
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Similarly, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), during its press conference on Friday, said INEC has taken steps to improve preparations, but that confidence remains fragile.
“The CVR process exposed logistical gaps that must be urgently addressed. The judiciary also has a crucial responsibility; delayed rulings and uncertainty over candidate eligibility continue to damage public trust,” the group lamented.
It said a major concern in the Anambra governorship election is that the political parties have not demonstrated the capacity to mobilise and sensitise voters.
“The internal crisis within Nigeria’s major political parties at the moment has weakened electoral competitiveness in the Anambra governorship election,” CDD noted.
The group explained that security threats remain a major concern in Ihiala, Nnewi South, Orumba South, and border communities such as Lilu, Azia, and Amorka.
“Weak oversight of vigilante groups and the longstanding violent environment contribute to a low risk of voter turnout. Security agencies must act professionally and protect voters without bias,” the CDD-West Africa noted.
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