By EMMANUEL NDUKUBA, Awka
Queen Elizabeth Agwu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Anambra State, said the commission was 80 per cent prepared and ready ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, urging eligible registered voters with their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) to keep them safe in readiness to exercise their civic responsibility.
Agwu, who was posted to Anambra in 2022, and has overseen elections in the state since the 2023 general election, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to credible elections while speaking at the stakeholders meeting on Friday at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
With approximately 97 days to Nigeria’s 2027 general election,
She urged party candidates to focus on presenting their programmes and convincing voters with their ideas rather than engaging in electoral malpractice. She also cautioned political parties against vote buying and called for peaceful and orderly campaigns.
“Let the candidates tell us who they are and what they want to do. That is what the campaign is about. I beg political parties to do their campaigns peacefully and orderly,” Agwu said.
She cautioned members of the public against being misled into believing that they could participate in the forthcoming general elections without a PVC, stressing that the card was essential for voter accreditation and participation in the electoral process.
“Don’t be deceived. Get your PVC and be ready to vote. Handle your PVC with care and keep it in a safe place,” she said.
She emphasised that eligible voters must ensure they possess their PVCs ahead of the elections, urging those who had registered within the stipulated period to take the necessary steps to verify their registration details.
The REC specifically urged those who registered between January and July this year to check the published register of voters, confirm that their names had been correctly captured and report any errors or discrepancies for necessary corrections.
“The names of those who registered between January and July have already been published. Go and verify your names and make observations if there are any discrepancies,” she added.
On the Commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections, Agwu disclosed that INEC had continued to train its personnel and upgrade its technological infrastructure and information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to ensure a smooth electoral process.
She expressed confidence in the Commission’s level of preparedness, assuring stakeholders that measures were being taken to minimise technical challenges and prevent disruptions during the elections.
Agwu also disclosed that INEC had deployed 5,720 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to cover the state’s 5,720 polling units.
According to her, the Commission had additional BVAS machines in reserve to replace any equipment that might malfunction during the exercise, to ensure that accreditation could proceed with minimal disruption.
Agwu stressed the need for sustained preparations and cooperation among electoral stakeholders to ensure a credible and peaceful process.
She also expressed disappointment over the absence of the Anambra State Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Eminence Ugochukwu, who had been invited to the stakeholders’ meeting.
She described the absence as unbecoming, given the importance of political parties and their representatives in the electoral process, adding that IPAC’s position and contributions were pivotal to the Commission’s efforts to achieve credible elections.
“Regular engagement with political parties and other stakeholders was necessary to promote transparency, build confidence in the electoral process and address issues that could affect the conduct of the elections.
She further disclosed that INEC was reshuffling some of its personnel in Anambra State, particularly Electoral Officers and other local government-level staff, as part of efforts to strengthen the Commission’s operations ahead of the general elections.
She explained that the redeployment exercise was a routine administrative measure intended to inject fresh energy into the system, improve efficiency and ensure that personnel remained effective in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Agwu dismissed suggestions that the transfers were politically motivated or designed to favour any candidate or political party, insisting that the exercise was undertaken in the overall interest of the Commission and the successful conduct of the elections.
“This is a civil service system, and it is normal because some officers may have stayed too long in one place, creating the possibility of taking certain things for granted,” she said.
She said that retirements and promotions had also necessitated the redeployment of personnel to fill vacancies and ensure that the Commission’s operations continued without disruption.
“Again, some officers may have retired. In Anambra State, we witnessed a lot of retirements in August, so we need to post new people to those positions. Also, those who have been promoted have moved up, leaving their former positions vacant. Therefore, new postings have become necessary,” she added.
She emphasisd that the staff reshuffling had no political undertones and was not intended to please or disadvantage any candidate, but rather to strengthen the Commission’s capacity to deliver a credible electoral process.
The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by representatives of political parties, candidates and other relevant stakeholders, who were expected to contribute to discussions on preparations for the forthcoming general elections and the need to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
