In its first major election announcement of the year, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria has scheduled the Anambra State Governorship poll for November 6, as it works to address challenges leading up to the polls.
The official election umpire of Nigeria made this announcement through the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye. Speaking in the nation’s capital of Abuja, Okoye revealed that the decision was made after several deliberations on forthcoming elections set for the year.
The chairman noted that the selected date was in line with Section 178(1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 25(7) & (8) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended). Okoye further revealed that election into the office of a State Governor shall hold not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.
“Constitutionally and statutorily, the tenure of the governor of Anambra will expire on March 17, 2022, and the earliest date for the election into the office of Governor, Anambra, shall be Oct. 18, 2021, and the latest date for the election shall be Feb. 15, 2022.”
Further examination of the election timetable shows that party primaries and resolution of disputes arising from the primaries will take place between June 10 and July 1. Meanwhile, particulars of the candidates for the election would be published on July 16, while parties would commence campaigns on August 8 with the final list of nominated candidates to be published on Oct. 7.
Challenges And INEC’s Plan
Before the election date was announced, Okoye listed out areas the commission intended to work on leading up to polls in the country. Among these areas of concern include, expanding voter access to Polling Units in the context of a growing population and the growth of new settlements across the country; and validation of the Voters roll and Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in the shadow of the COVID- 19 pandemic.
Others are repeal and re-enactment of a new Electoral Act that would guarantee the conduct of free, fair, transparent elections; deepening technology in the electoral process, and rolling out Electoral Voting Machines for the Anambra State Governorship election.
Okoye further stated that equally of great concern to the commission is how to increase voter turnout in future elections and how to effectively manage electoral success recorded in the last two off-season elections in Edo and Ondo states.
This story is part of our new series on Nigeria where we analyse electoral and political reform in the country ahead of the next general elections in 2023.
