The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission’s (ANSIEC) accredited election observers, the International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC), and others have rated the just concluded local government election in the state as credible and peaceful.
The commendation was contained in a post-election statement jointly signed and made available to journalists in Awka on Monday by the IPCRC coordinator, Prince Chris Azor, and the secretary, Dr Kene Chukwu Makwudo, respectively.
According to them, the election organised and conducted by the ANSIEC was free, fair, credible, and peaceful. The exercise witnessed an initial delay in commencement due to logistics and personnel challenges. However, polls eventually progressed smoothly without any recorded conflict, violence, or malpractices.
They stated that on the 28th of September 2024, the election day, IPCRC, its accredited member organisations, and partners deployed observers across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs), wards, and polling units in Anambra State to observe the election day process, results collations, and declarations.
The election commenced with a slow start as a result of personnel and logistical challenges that led to the late commencement of polls in some polling units across the state. Even as we observed the late commencement of polls, we heartily commend ANSIEC’s preparedness and enthusiasm to conduct the election credibly and peacefully as scheduled.
The voting process progressed smoothly, through identification in the voter’s register and voting subsequently in a peaceful atmosphere. Counting, collation, and declaration went on unhindered in the presence of party agents, security, and accredited election observers. The entire process scaled through as expected in a free, fair, credible, and peaceful atmosphere.
“The polling units were properly set up with the Presiding Officer (PO) displaying the election materials to voters and other stakeholders present prior to commencement of the voting process. However, we observed that some polling units did not have voting cubicles as required.
“Accreditation was done by identifying the voter on the register and clearing the same to vote in the provided boxes marked for Chairman and Councillor.
“Voter turnout was low compared to the number of registered voters in the register.
“Collation commenced at the end of voting and counting of ballots. There were collation centres designated at the wards and local government areas.
“Our observers didn’t report any incident of overvoting throughout the exercise
“Our observers reported that ANSIEC lived up to its promise of giving priority to Persons With Disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly, to cast their ballot.
“We didn’t, however, witness the use of braille by the visually impaired.
“Our observers didn’t report any form of conflict or violence in the areas observed—reports we got indicated that the exercise was generally peaceful.
“We didn’t observe any form of vote-buying, rigging, or sundry malpractices at the polling areas. However, there were some people who ordinarily had no official role within the polling units but were loitering around the polling area.
“We observed party agents from APGA, PDP, and LP in most polling units visited.
“Our observers also met security personnel from policemen/women, the NSCDC, and road safety officials at the polling units across the state.
“While commending ANSIEC, security agencies, media, Red Cross, political parties, sundry stakeholders, and most importantly, the citizens of Anambra State who came out to exercise their franchise after over ten (10) years of waiting for democracy at the local government level for their peaceful conduct and patriotism during the exercise, the IPCRC management team recommended early commencement of voter education and citizen sensitisation for improved voter turnout in future elections.
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