DESPITE days of intense political campaigns and security concerns, a sense of calm now pervades Anambra State as residents prepare to elect their next governor on Saturday, November 8.
The ICIR reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday, November 7, distributed sensitive materials across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, signaling the final phase of preparation for the poll.
The materials, including ballot papers and result sheets, were moved from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch in Awka under tight security, with officials of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) providing escort.
According to INEC data, 16 candidates from different political parties will contest in the election, including incumbent governor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Ukachukwu Nicholas (APC), Ezenwafor Jude (PDP), Moghalu Nnadubem (LP), and Geoffrey Onyejegbu (NNPP)
At least 10 of these candidates are from Anambra South Senatorial District, where major spotlight would be on Saturday.
Since the creation of Anambra State in 1976, APGA has remained its most dominant political force, producing the only two governors to complete two full terms — Peter Obi (2006–2014) and Willie Obiano (2014–2022).
The PDP and APC have alternated between second and third positions across election cycles, while smaller parties like the Labour Party (LP), United Progressive Party (UPP), and Young Progressives Party (YPP) have largely struggled to make headway.
The INEC data shows that 2,802,790 voters were registered, while 1,790,982 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected preparatory to the Saturday’s poll.
Initially, the election was meant to be conducted across 5,720 polling units and 326 political wards, there were no registered voters in two polling units, bringing the total of polling units where election will hold to 5,718.
Also, underlying fears about security and voter turnout continue to define the mood across communities.
Over 55,000 security deployed
On Thursday, November 6, the state Commissioner of Police Abayomi Shogunle, announced that the number of security personnel, which was 45,000 before, would be increased to 55,000 or 60,000.
The officers were stationed across major cities and strategic locations, including major junctions, INEC offices and other government buildings in Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi.
Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) were sighted moving around Aroma Junction and along Zik Avenue in Awka, while at the INEC headquarters, long rows of police vans and NSCDC trucks formed a visible ring of protection. Officers also carried out routine patrols around key facilities.
Despite the visible security presence, residents expressed fear of possible attacks in some areas. The ICIR reports that for years, security has long been a decisive factor in Anambra’s elections, with separatist agitations, cult clashes, and politically motivated killings shaping the outcome of the polls.
In 2021, several INEC facilities and police divisions were attacked by armed groups, including an assault on the B Division Police Station and the INEC office in Awka.
The attacks, which left parts of the facilities in flames, were among security breaches that heightened public anxiety during elections in the state.
In its final report on the 2021 governorship election, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room noted that while the election was largely peaceful, the months preceding it were plagued by violence, intimidation, and voter apathy.
While the state government insisted that violence has declined, some residents still cited killings and attacks by the “unknown gunmen” during the 2021 exercise.
Although the sit-at-home culture has dwindled, its fear still lingers.
Increasing voter apathy
Turnout has been significantly low over time in Anambra’s governorship elections, showing a deepening sense of voter apathy and mistrust in the political system.
The state saw voter participation declined from about 16 percent in 2010 to just 10 percent in 2021. The 2021 election, which brought Soludo to power, highlighted this troubling pattern.
Out of the 2,466,638 registered voters in Anambra in 2021, only 253,388 were accredited to vote. Ultimately, the total votes cast stood at 253,388, with 8,108 of them declared invalid. This indicated that barely 10 per cent of registered voters in the state participated in the election.
According to Premium Times analysis, only 1.02 million voted in the state in 1999 out of the 2.2 million registered voters, representing 46.4 per cent.
There was a slight increase in the voter’s turnout in the 2003 election, having registered 47.22 per cent turnout.
In the 2010 election, out of 1.84 million registered voters in Anambra, only 302,000 turned out to vote, representing roughly 16 per cent participation.
By 2013, voter turnout slightly improved, with 465,891 out of 1,770,127 registered voters casting their ballots. This was about 25 per cent of the electorate.
In 2017, out of the 2,064,134 residents registered as eligible voters for the election, only 448,711 – about 21 per cent cast their votes.
The decline could be attributed to deep-seated apathy rooted in mistrust of the system, poor governance outcomes, and persistent insecurity, according to reports.
Some analysts also cited intimidation, violence, and a lack of confidence in the fairness of elections as reasons for staying away from polling stations.
The rise of secessionist movements and sporadic attacks in the South-East also further heightened fears, discouraging turnout.
Residents react
A resident, Chisom Okeke, who lives in Awka, told The ICIR, “People are going about their businesses, but there’s anxiety. I will vote here in Ondoka, with the hope that there won’t be any violence or intimidation.” He added that there had been a heavy security presence in the state.
Okeke was among the several traders in Kwatta Market in Awka, where many residents crowded, making last-minute purchases ahead of the restriction of movement that usually accompanies election day. Stalls selling meat, fish, cow skin, and foodstuffs were surrounded by queues of buyers on Friday.
However, some residents expressed fears of possible tension or violence, saying they would stay indoors once voting begins.
“I just came out today as usual to do my POS business. I won’t need to step out tomorrow,” said Ifeanyi Nwafor, a POS vendor in Kwatta market.
“The election period in this area can be unpredictable. I won’t be voting because I don’t really trust the government.” Nwafor added.
INEC reassures on readiness
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Queen Elizabeth Agwu, assured that all logistics had been completed and that the commission was committed to a credible process.
“Early in the morning, don’t forget that each LGA has their own RAC centres. In the morning as early as 6am, they will move to the polling unit to set up. Our election starts by 8:30 but we have mandated that by 7am, they will be there and set up fully so that the election will take place peacefully.
“That’s why we are here today. For everybody to see the sensitive materials which is the main material for election,” she stated while addressing journalists on Thursday.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M