Similarly, INEC on Thursday commenced the distribution of sensitive materials across the 21 local government areas of the state.
The materials, distributed from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s branch in Awka, included the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System ballot booklets, result sheets and other materials for use at various polling units.
Speaking, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Anambra election supervision, Festus Okoye, said seven Resident Electoral Commissioners were in the state to take charge of three local government areas each on the election day.
He said adequate security arrangements had been provided to secure the materials at INEC offices in the LGAs, adding that vehicles conveying the materials were electronically tracked to ensure they followed identified routes to their destinations.
“The materials were brought out for intact assessment by political party agents, before being handed over to each of the electoral officers for the 21 local government areas of the state to be escorted by security agents,” Okoye said.
Director, Electoral Operation, INEC, Abdulrazak Yusuf, said the materials were uniquely designed for only their designated polling units.
IPOB cancels one week sit-at-home, says elders, clerics have intervened
The leadership of IPOB said it has cancelled its planned one-week sit-at-home order across the South-East.
The group, in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, on Thursday said the group cancelled the one-week lockdown of the zone because leaders and elders of the region had intervened.
The statement read, “Following the genuine intervention of our elders, esteemed traditional institutions /rulers and religious leaders, and after a due consideration of the positive impacts of their engagement, and sequel to the fact that our elders have spoken in our terms, the leadership of IPOB, ably lead by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, hereby and immediately call off the one-week sit-at-home earlier declared to commence tomorrow, November 5 to November 10, 2021.
“We have equally considered several appeals by our mothers who earn their living based on their daily economic activities which will obviously be affected if Biafra land is locked down for one whole week. It is never our intention to add to the pains of our people, hence our decision to suspend the sit-at-home.”
The group added, “The people of Anambra State should go out en masse and peacefully exercise their franchise come November 6, 2021, and accordingly, chose a leader of their choice and should not be intimidated by anybody, group of persons or security agents.
“Credible intelligence available to us confirmed that the Nigeria DSS has concluded arrangement to deploy a branch of their trained terrorist group to Anambra State to unleash mayhem on our people and attribute the killing to peaceful IPOB members.
“Anambrarians should vote and standby to protect their votes. No rigging of any kind will be tolerated on the Anambra State governorship election. It must be transparent, free and fair to all.”
Powerful warned self-appointed enforcer of its order to desist since IPOB did not send them
“IPOB doesn’t expect anybody to observe, monitor or enforce the suspended order; otherwise such action will be considered a rebellion to the highest leadership of our global movement.
“On the other hand, our oppressors should not take our decision as an act of cowardice. IPOB still believes that our elders, religious leaders, political leaders and various stakeholders will live up to their promises in their engagements and efforts towards securing the unconditional release of our leader,” he added.
