Anambra: Police Apprehensive About INEC Despite IPOB’s Cancelation Of Sit-At-Home – Source

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not included in the list of the 14 threats to the Anambra governorship election put out by the Nigeria Police Force, but sources have told THE WHISTLER that the performance of the electoral body is nonetheless of serious concern to the Force.

The police had earlier released a list of 14 threats to the November 6 election with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its Eastern Security Network (ESN) topping the list.

Other threats listed by the police include: aggrieved politicians, restive youths, terrorist groups, secessionists, armed bandits, kidnappers and religious fundamentalists.

In anticipation of the potential threats, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, had revealed the deployment of about 35,000 police personnel to safeguard the election and protect the people of Anambra State.

But top police sources have informed THE WHISTLER that the force was concerned about possible hitches in the electoral process such as undue delay in delivery of sensitive election materials, malfunctioning equipment and possible compromise of officials which could spark spontaneous reactions that may be difficult to handle.

“We believe some of this IPOB thing may be an agenda to rig the election, and that is where we have some serious concern,” said a senior officer who confided in this website on Thursday. The source added that delivery of electoral materials and the possibility of intentional delays and contrived hitches are issues of concern to police.

Ezenwa Nwagwu , Executive Director of Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa (PAACA) who has followed recent elections conducted by INEC also admitted that the elections are prone to hitches but would not blame the electoral body for them.

He told THE WHISTLER, “INEC graph of punctuality index fluctuates, and some of the delays have more to do with transport vendors and the attitude of security agents who have to escort election materials, equipment and personnel from one point to other.”.

But INEC has left no one in doubt that it is prepared to conduct a free, fair and accurate election that would not have the hitches of previous elections.

INEC’s National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, restated the commission’s preparedness to deliver on the election.

He said on Arise Television on Friday that INEC had taken polling booths closer to the electorate and had delivered delivered all sensitive election materials to their polling units.

He revealed that the commission had converted a total of 1,112 voting points into full fledge polling units so that they are closer to the people. The additional polling units created will come into force for the first time in Anambra State.

In addition, INEC had already deployed 26,000 adhoc staff to be joined by additional unspecified number of fresh members of the National Youths Service Corps.

On Wednesday, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Beth Leonard also revealed during an interview with Ogene 98.3Fm, a radio station based in Awka, that his country would be watching INEC to see if “INEC and its staff are able to conduct their activities objectively, free from intimidation and outright pressure.”

In the last six years, election observers and civil society groups have pointed out some of the challenges of the commission to include unregularised voting time, late commencement of the voting process, late arrival of INEC’s personnel and voting materials to polling units, and irregularities in the vote-counting process, among others.

But, Nwagu believes INEC has improved on its past and described the commission as “the most improved public institution in the country from Jega and sustained by Mahmood Yakub”.