By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six days to the conduct of the Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North 1 by election, the Anambra Police Command and other sister security agencies have commenced the deployment of officers and men to the eight local government areas in order to ensure a hitch free process.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC had slated the conduct of the two by elections for August 16th in order to fill the vacant seats at the state and National Assemblies following the death of Sen Ifeanyi Ubah and Hon Justice Azuka last year.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga , there is an already existing security architecture in place before the announcement of the date for the two elections adding that it is being improved while the deployment of officers and men has commenced in earnest.
“You know we have an already existing security architecture in place and it has been yielding positive results so far and we are leveraging on that and also improving on what we have on ground”
Ikenga further explained that a stakeholders forum is being facilitated by the eight Service Commanders in the state and it is going to include the political parties and their candidates as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in the state ”
“The essence is to interface with these major stakeholders and key players in the coming elections to ensure that there would be a hitch free process of conducting the two elections ” he noted.
Ikenga further advised that registered voters whose polling units are not within Onitsha North 1 and Anambra South Senatorial District has no business being in those areas adding that those found would be made to face the law.
“These two elections are for Anambra South Senatorial District and Onitsha North 1 state constituency and it is for elegible voters registered within those areas so those that have no business with the two elections are not allowed to be there”
“We shall have strong security formations in those areas while vehicular movements would be restricted in those places with the exception of those on essential services which would be verified before the election and that would be throughout the voting period”
He added they the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC would provide accreditations for media and observers for the two elections urging those involved to do the needful for them to be easily identified.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC twelve candidates and political parties are contesting for the Anambra South Senatorial District by election.
Among them are Azuka Okwuosa of the All Progressives Congress APC, Emma Nwachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA Hon Chijioke Onyekaonwu of Action Alliance AA.
Others include Mr Peter Ekwueme of the New Nigerian People’s Party NNPP, Bar Donald Chidi Amamgbo of the African Democratic Congress ADC and Mr Azubuike Okoli of the Young Democratic Party YPP .
Incidentally, it is not clear as at the time of this report if Chief Chuma Nzeribe of the Labor Party is contesting following reports that the party has been protesting that it’s candidates did not appear on the list of candidates for the by elections across the country.
