Vote-buying won’t decide Anambra election – Amupitan

NEC Chairman Amupitan Declares Zero Tolerance for Vote-Buying Ahead of Anambra Governorship Election

In a firm and forward-looking address, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), has declared that vote-buying will not be allowed to influence the outcome of the upcoming Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025.

Speaking during a high-level meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security held in Abuja, Amupitan emphasized the commission’s unwavering commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible election that truly reflects the will of the people.

Amupitan issued a stern warning to political actors and stakeholders, cautioning that any attempt to induce voters before or during the election would be met with the full force of the law. He underscored INEC’s collaboration with security and anti-corruption agencies to clamp down on voter inducement, which he described as a threat to democratic integrity.

According to him, the commission is determined to uphold democratic values and ensure that the electoral process remains transparent and trustworthy.

The INEC Chairman also addressed technical concerns raised during a recent mock accreditation exercise conducted in 12 polling units across six local government areas in Anambra. 

While acknowledging that network issues were encountered, he assured the public that urgent steps were being taken to resolve these challenges.

The exercise was designed to test the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the efficiency of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal, both of which are central to the commission’s strategy for real-time result transmission and voter authentication.

Amupitan revealed that approximately 24,000 INEC personnel would be deployed across 5,718 polling units in the state. Results will be collated at 326 ward centers and 21 local government areas before final collation at the State Collation Centre in Awka. To ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised, the commission extended the deadline for the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from October 29 to November 2, 2025.

Logistical preparations have also been finalized, with INEC securing the services of key transport unions, including the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria. A total of 200 buses and 83 boats have been hired to facilitate the smooth movement of election materials and personnel across the state, including riverine areas.

The meeting was co-chaired by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who was represented by the Director of Internal Security, Hassan Abdullahi. It brought together top officials from security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies to fine-tune strategies for a peaceful and incident-free election.

Amupitan praised the synergy among security agencies, describing it as essential for maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.

With 2.8 million registered voters expected to participate and 11 out of 13 scheduled electoral activities already completed, INEC is optimistic that the Anambra governorship election will set a new benchmark for electoral integrity in Nigeria.

Amupitan concluded his remarks with a call for unity and collective responsibility, stating that while challenges may lie ahead, a shared commitment to democracy can overcome them.