Obiano Orders Re-Enforcement Of Security At INEC Offices, Deployment Of Fire Equipment

BY SUNNY A. DAVID / AWKA

The Governor of Anambra State Chief Willie Obiano has expressed optimism that the Saturday’s elections will be peaceful, free, fair and credible.

Addressing the press shortly after an Emergency Security Council Meeting at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, Governor Willie Obiano said security agencies in the State were ready to for a peaceful election.

Governor Obiano, who called on Ndi Anambra to come out and exercise their civic duty of voting, noted that with the briefing he had received security agencies in the State were all on alert to maintain law and order.

On the recent fire incident at the INEC headquarters in Awka, Governor Obiano stressed that necessary security measures had been put in place while  fire equipment had been deployed to all INEC offices and locations in the State, among other measures to prevent a reoccurrence.

He said investigation had commence to unravel the cause of the inferno.

Meanwhile, INEC says it has taken immediate steps to ameliorate the fire disaster by mopping up some of the spare Card Readers from other States to deploy to Anambra State.

Speaking in Abuja, the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee Mr. Okoye said with the steps so far taken, the Commission was confident that the election in the state would proceed as scheduled.

Mr. Okoye said in the meantime INEC had reported the incident to the Police and the Fire Service and investigations into the cause had commenced.

Also the State government has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to endeavour to conduct a free, fair and credible election in the state as was the case in the previous voting exercises.

Governor Willie Obiano made the call during the 2019 general elections stakeholders’ forum organized by INEC at the Professor Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre, Awka.

The event which was an interactive section, attracted members of the Civil Society Organizations, women groups, political parties, Security Chiefs, as well as international observers from the United States, and provided the participants the opportunity to rob minds with INEC officials on how to ensure acceptable voting process in the state.

Governor Obiano, who was represented by the Deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke  commended INEC for arrangements already put in place towards ensuring free, fair and credible elections in the state, and encouraged them to ensure that the people’s will prevailed in the elections.

The Governor solicited the assistance of the security agencies during the elections to ensure people’s safety and freedom to vote for candidates of their choice.

He called on residents of the state to come out en-mass to exercise their voting right, and not to allow themselves to be intimidated or manipulated by selfish politicians.