The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, has reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to deliver a transparent, credible, and peaceful governorship election in Anambra State on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking at the Anambra Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Awka on Tuesday, Amupitan issued a stern warning to political parties, candidates, and voters against vote-buying and other electoral malpractices, saying the Commission would enforce strict sanctions against offenders.
“Vote-buying undermines democracy and erodes public confidence in the process. We have issued strict directives to all our officials, and any deviation from the Electoral Act or INEC guidelines will attract severe sanctions,” he said.
The INEC Chairman said the stakeholders’ meeting underscored the Commission’s commitment to openness, inclusivity, and collaboration ahead of every major off-cycle election. He urged political actors to exhibit maturity, tolerance, and discipline throughout the electoral process.
Amupitan explained that preparations for the poll began in 2024 with the publication of the timetable and schedule of activities in line with the Electoral Act 2022. Of the 13 statutory activities, he noted, 11 had been completed, leaving only the close of campaigns at midnight on Thursday, November 6, and the election itself on Saturday.
He said 16 political parties would participate in the election, adding that five of them lawfully substituted candidates and running mates in accordance with Section 33 of the Electoral Act.
The Commission’s final register of voters includes 2,802,790 registered voters. Out of 168,187 new registrations, 27,817 invalid entries were removed after biometric screening, leaving 140,370 valid new voters. Another 5,983 voters transferred their registration within the state.
To enhance inclusivity, Amupitan said INEC had partnered with TAFAfrica to deploy sign language interpreters across polling units to assist 3,456 registered voters with disabilities.
He also revealed that 114 domestic observer groups and 76 media organisations had been accredited, with over 500 journalists expected to cover the election.
Amupitan reaffirmed the Commission’s technical readiness, stating that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be used for voter authentication and electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). A mock accreditation exercise had earlier been conducted successfully in 12 polling units across six local government areas to confirm system reliability.
On logistics, he said INEC had secured 2,233 buses and 83 boats through the National Association of Transport Owners (NATO), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Maritime Union Workers of Nigeria (MUWN) for the movement of election materials and personnel.
He added that all arrangements had been finalised to ensure polling would commence promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Amupitan commended the 16 political parties for signing the Peace Accord facilitated by the National Peace Committee, describing it as a vital step toward peaceful conduct. He also lauded security agencies for their collaboration and commitment to protecting voters, observers, and election officials.
“Let us all say no to violence, no to intimidation, and no to vote-buying. Together, we can strengthen democracy and prove that credible elections are possible in Nigeria,” he said.
