It is countdown to the off-cycle gubernatorial elections in Anambra state and we’ve begun to witness the intrigues and intricacies to its buildup. Litigations, cross-carpeting, accusations, counter-accusations, power-play and possible postponement of the elections are among the “fireworks” that have been playing out. The election billed to take place on the 6th of November will see a new governor emerge as the incumbent is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term.
Angel Network News Recall that in May this year, “unknown gunmen” burned down the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) amidst a rise in attacks of the Commission’s offices nationwide. INEC subsequently revealed that half of the non-sensitive materials pre-delivered for the administrative tasks of the election were destroyed in the attack.
As further preparations were announced, the planned storage of the non-sensitive materials in INEC’s office in Owerri, Imo state elicited another round of controversy. Political parties excluding APC questioned the motive and rationale behind the move stressing Imo was an APC state. However, INEC cleared the air by stating that the materials could not be stored in Anambra due to the May attack on their facility.
More recently also, INEC has lamented the apparent poor approach of political parties to the elections, stressing that only five (5) political parties out of the thirteen (13) participating in the elections had uploaded particulars of their voting agents as of October 8th, 2021. Many political watchers are blaming this on an apparent sense of despondency in the state that has characterized the build to next month’s election.
Concerns have been raised about the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) enforcing their sit-at-home orders throughout the Southeast. The order, as well the potential violence of IPOB against people dismissing the order may lead to low voter turnout, voter apathy as well as election violence. Already, there is misinformation and fake news campaigns targeted at deceiving voters.
As the only gubernatorial elections this year, its results may very well dictate the overall position of parties gubernatorial wings following defections of Governors Ben Ayade of Cross River and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Currently, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) holds thirteen (13) governorship seats while the APC has twenty two (22) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) holds the single governorship position that is being contested for in Anambra.
Most political parties in the state, aside from the incumbent APGA, are yet to flag off their electioneering campaign barely three weeks to the election. The security situation in the Southeast and the threats by IPOB is certainly not unconnected to this. Perhaps it is due to this reason that led some gubernatorial aspirants to recently take their campaign train to Lagos and Delta states.
Anambra state is a very strategic state in the region and is seen as key to the overall voter behavior of the zone in 2023. As the big parties deploy their strengths and the fears of insecurity and IPOB persist, many are wondering what will be the voter turnout. With Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, due to appear in court on October 21st, 2021, exactly two weeks to the poll, will Anambrarians defy all odds and come out en-masse to vote and make independent choices?
A significant factor that may play out during the election is the adoption of electronic transmission of results by INEC. Recently, amid increased calls that election results should be transmitted electronically, the Senate bowed to pressure and gave INEC the sole power to determine the mode of transmission of results.
This follows the reversal of the Senate’s earlier decision that INEC may consider the electronic transmission of results “provided national [network] coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure” by the Nigerian Communications Commission and approved by the National Assembly. One has written severally on the efficacy of electronic transmission of result and how it will strengthen our elections.
The integrity of the results collation process is fundamental to the overall success and credibility of elections. If conducted in a transparent and well-regulated manner, it will produce credible election results. Manual vote counting should be a thing of the past. Transmission of results electronically, should be a mechanism of the future. Already, it is widely used in the developed world.
Hence with electronic transmission, there will not be any case of results missing en-route or snatching of ballot boxes. There will not be any need for collation centers. It would eliminate human error in the collating process, such as cases of arithmetical error by collating officers. It would also save time because results of voting would be uploaded in real time, unlike what is obtainable in manual transmission where collation officers sometimes transit over very long distances to submit voting results at INEC collating centers.
With the prevailing security situation in the Southeast and IPOB threats, the transmission of results will go a long way in making the election credible and the election officials wouldn’t be in harm’s way. If adopted and if it shows positive results, then the 2023 elections will automatically see an increase in voter turnout. Many Nigerians would probably be better convinced about the efficacy of elections and would be better assured that their votes will count going forward.
Consequently, one wishes to join well meaning Nigerians that are calling on INEC to use the November 6th Anambra governorship poll to test run the electronic transmission of results ahead of the 2023 general elections. The Anambra poll will be a great opportunity to test run the technological driven process and many Nigerians will know what to expect come 2023.
There is no doubt that security is dominating discussions ahead of the poll. Typical of politicians, many of the candidates have made this their campaign “catchphrase” stating that security of lives and properties would be their topmost priority if elected as governor. INEC has maintained that the elections will hold as scheduled despite the rising cases of killings and attacks by unknown gunmen in the region.
As Nigerians look forward to the elections next month, one would like to urge the authorities to provide adequate security during the conduct of the elections. The security architecture should be fully prepared to counter any separatist group bent on frustrating the election. One also urges Anambrarians to use this opportunity to elect a candidate they feel will take Anamabra to the next level.
The Bvas machine which replaced the card reader will be test run in the November 6th election in Anambra State. To candidates vying for the governorship seat, may the best man win in this most crucial event come November 6th 2021 as Anambra State leads by example for other states.
