…Set To Hold Joint Stakeholders Meeting

Six days to the conduct of the Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North 1 by-election, the Anambra Police Command and other sister security agencies have commenced the deployment of officers and men to the eight Local Government Areas in order to ensure a hitch-free process.

New Telegraph recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had slated the conduct of the two by-elections for August 16th in order to fill the vacant seats at the state and National Assemblies following the death of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and Hon Justice Azuka last year.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, there is an already existing security architecture in place before the announcement of the date for the two elections, adding that it is being improved, while the deployment of officers and men has commenced in earnest.

“You know we have an already existing security architecture in place, and it has been yielding positive results so far, and we are leveraging on that and also improving on what we have on ground”

Ikenga further explained that a stakeholders forum is being facilitated by the eight Service Commanders in the state, and it is going to include the political parties and their candidates, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the state ”

“The essence is to interface with these major stakeholders and key players in the coming elections to ensure that there would be a hitch-free process of conducting the two elections “, he noted.

Ikenga further advised that registered voters whose polling units are not within Onitsha North 1 and Anambra South Senatorial District have no business being in those areas, adding that those found would be made to face the law.

“These two elections are for Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North 1 state constituency, and it is for eligible voters registered within those areas, so those that have no business with the two elections are not allowed to be there”

“We shall have strong security formations in those areas, while vehicular movements would be restricted in those places with the exception of those on essential services, which would be verified before the election, and that would be throughout the voting period”

He added they the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would provide accreditations for media and observers for the two elections, urging those involved to do the needful for them to be easily identified.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC twelve candidates and political parties are contesting for the Anambra South Senatorial District by-election.

Among them are Azuka Okwuosa of the All Progressives Congress APC, Emma Nwachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA Hon Chijioke Onyekaonwu of Action Alliance AA.

Others include Mr Peter Ekwueme of the New Nigerian People’s Party NNPP, Mr Donald Chidi Amamgbo of the African Democratic Congress ADC and Mr Azubuike Okoli of the Young Democratic Party YPP.

Incidentally, it is not clear at the time of this report if Chief Chuma Nzeribe of the Labour Party is contesting, following reports that the party has been protesting that its candidates did not appear on the list of candidates for the by-elections across the country.