The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the distribution of sensitive election materials to all 21 local government areas of Anambra State ahead of Saturday’s governorship poll.
The deployment exercise began at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Awka, signalling the final phase of preparations for what many analysts describe as a crucial test of Nigeria’s electoral system.
According to INEC, 2,802,790 registered voters are eligible to participate in the election, including 140,370 newly registered voters across the state’s 326 wards.
The governorship election will take place in 5,718 polling units, as two out of the expected 5,720 have no registered voters.
A total of 16 political parties, including two female candidates, are in the race to succeed the incumbent administration.
INEC officials said the early distribution of materials was designed to ensure timely deployment to polling units on election day.
The commission restated its commitment to delivering a credible and peaceful election, stressing that all logistics arrangements had been fine-tuned.
Civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, in a pre-election statement, warned of heightened security risks in parts of the state.
According to the group, “Anambra State continues to grapple with complex security challenges, shaped by both internal and external dynamics.”
The organisation cited potential flashpoints in Orumba North, Orumba South, Ogbaru, Ihiala, Nnewi South, and Aguata local government areas.
Yiaga Africa alleged incidents of intimidation involving vigilante operatives and called for the withdrawal of all vigilante deployments at least 24 hours before voting to allow security agencies take full control.
Yiaga Africa also expressed concern over the low number of new voter registrations, warning that voter apathy may worsen.
“Given this trend, and Anambra’s historical record of low voter turnout, there are serious concerns that the 2025 governorship election may witness turnout rates below 20%, further weakening electoral legitimacy,” the organisation stated.
This poll is the seventh off-cycle governorship election since the 2023 general elections and the first major election under the new INEC Chairman.
Yiaga Africa noted that the exercise will be a critical benchmark to assess the commission’s performance ahead of the 2027 general elections.