Politics
INEC Chair Vows Credible, Peaceful Anambra Election During Peace Accord Signing
According to a statement by INEC on Monday, Professor Amupitan gave the assurance during the ongoing signing of the Peace Accord, organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) under the leadership of former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).
In his goodwill message, the INEC Chairman commended the NPC for its “unwavering commitment to fostering peaceful elections in Nigeria,” noting that extending the Peace Accord initiative to off-cycle governorship elections has played a vital role in reducing electoral tensions and violence across the country.
“After witnessing the success of the Peace Accord at the national level, the NPC graciously agreed, five years ago, to our request to devolve its signing… This became necessary given the tensions and violence that have accompanied some past elections,” the INEC Chairman stated.
He, however, emphasized that the signatures on the document are symbolic and must be backed by genuine action.
“It is not the signatures on this document that guarantee peace; it is the genuine commitment to honouring its provisions,” he cautioned, urging the 16 participating political parties and their candidates to ensure the message of peace cascades to their supporters at all levels.
To bolster confidence in the process, Professor Amupitan outlined the Commission’s comprehensive preparations for the election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.
He revealed that INEC has fine-tuned deployment plans for 24,000 personnel and election materials across the state’s 5,718 Polling Units and hundreds of collation centres. “Voters should therefore expect a significant improvement in Election Day logistics,” he affirmed.
The Commission has approved a final register of 2,802,790 eligible voters and extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) until Sunday, November 2, to ensure maximum participation.
The Chairman also reaffirmed INEC’s resolve to firmly combat vote-buying, warning that “any individuals or groups planning to subvert the will of the people will be firmly confronted within the strong hands of the law.”
On the critical issue of security, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) has instituted robust measures. He confirmed that the Nigeria Police Force will deploy 45,000 personnel and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps will deploy 10,250 officers to secure the electoral process.
With the Peace Accord in place, the proactive efforts of security agencies, and the support of traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders, Professor Amupitan expressed strong confidence that the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election will be both peaceful and successful.
Concluding his message on an optimistic note, he declared: “Let us work together to ensure that the upcoming election is remembered not for division or discord, but for its spirit of unity and the pursuit of common goals. Let us demonstrate to the world that Anambra State is a beacon of hope, resilience, and democratic values.
This was contained in a statement by the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdulahi, who said what transpired during the poll was more of “a bazaar than an election.”
According to him, the poll fell short of democratic standards.
“The African Democratic Congress has observed the conduct of the just concluded Anambra gubernatorial election with a deep sense of concern for the electoral process in Nigeria,” he wrote on his X handle on Sunday, hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Chukwuma Soludo as the winner of the exercise.
“What unfolded in Anambra was, regrettably, a cash-drenched spectacle that was more of a bazaar than an election. This undermines the very essence of democracy.”
The ADC accused the incumbent and his party of engaging in “several forms and styles of cash-for-votes”. The party alleged that bundles of naira notes exchanged hands at polling units across the state in full public view, a clear violation of the Electoral Act.
Abdullahi also faulted security agencies and electoral officials for failing to enforce electoral integrity.
He said, “security operatives stood by as voters were harassed and compromised, while electoral officials, overwhelmed or indifferent, failed to uphold even the most basic standards.”
It warned that if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continues in this direction, Nigerians should be concerned about the credibility of the 2027 general elections, especially as the world closely watches the country’s democratic process.
However, the ADC spokesman said that the party remains dedicated to building “a Nigeria where leadership is earned through integrity, inclusion, and service, not through the crude exchange of cash for votes.”
ADC’s candidate in the election, John Nwosu, came a distant fifth in the election with 8,208 votes.
Nwosu has since rejected the outcome of the poll, following a similar path as his party.
Ezenwafor, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, said he had always shared a cordial relationship with Governor Soludo.
“I can assist him. I have been assisting him before; he is my friend. I brought him to work in Anambra,” he said on the breakfast show, one day after Soludo was declared the winner of Saturday’s exercise.
“I convinced Soludo to contest the election in the first instance when I was Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano. He came, he did well, and there is no perfect person,” he said.
In the lead-up to the election, security was a key talking point among the candidates and other stakeholders.
Despite criticisms of Soludo’s handling of the matter, the PDP flagbearer commended the governor and his team for being proactive. He urged the governor to prioritise inclusivity in governance.
“Soludo and his security team are working. We have competent security chiefs in Anambra. I will advise His Excellency, Governor Soludo: What they need is better equipment, and insecurity will end. I believe he will do more. I have called to congratulate him, but if he doesn’t do well, I will speak.
“I will advise Governor Chukwuma Soludo to run an inclusive government so that Anambra will be very safe and prosperous,” Ezenwafor said.
Allegations of vote-buying had marred the peaceful poll, but Ezenwafor said the claims were exaggerated.
“That’s their opinion. I intend to challenge in court whether vote-buying is not election rigging. Almost five political parties engaged in vote-buying. If you remove the five, you will find me. I did not buy votes.
“Even my party agents were taken by the state executives to work for another party. But Anambra people have spoken; we will allow Governor Soludo to finish his four years,” he stated.
Responding to claims that he was a placeholder candidate, Ezenwafor dismissed the suggestion.
“If you say something like that, it doesn’t matter. Nobody will throw away over ₦80 million to clinch a party ticket just to be a figurehead. Am I stupid? I had the intention to run. I have my Organic Millionaires Club, 100 people who promised me 10 votes each.
“I was already cruising at 326,000 votes, but these people messed me up. I’m not desperate or feeling bad. I thank God I’m alive. I even suspect they were the ones that shot me,” he said.
Ezenwafor alleged that there was an assassination attempt on his life during the campaign.
“The PDP was in a comatose state when I came in. I decided to run, but I was shocked when there was an attempt on my life. I was hospitalised for almost three months.”
The lawmaker representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has announced his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared his full support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Jibrin, who left the APC in May 2022 to join the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), announced this during a large political gathering held in his hometown, Kofa, Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, on Sunday.
Announcing his defection on his official Facebook page on Monday, Jibrin revealed that his supporters had unanimously resolved to abandon the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement to align with the ruling APC.
“Today, in a show of solidarity, I was warmly received by thousands of my constituents in my hometown of Kofa, Bebeji, Kano,” Jibrin wrote.
“The gathering resolved to leave the NNPP/Kwankwasiyya, join the APC, and endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for a second term in office. From the beginning, almost 2,000 scholars from my constituency have prayed special prayers for the President and sought peace, development, and progress for Kiru/Bebeji, Kano, and Nigeria altogether.”
Jibrin’s return to the APC comes barely two months after his expulsion from the NNPP, following allegations of anti-party activities and non-payment of membership dues.
Reacting to his suspension at the time, the federal lawmaker described the decision as “shocking and unjustified,” insisting that the reasons given by the NNPP were flimsy.
“The interview I granted in both English and Hausa, which the party cited as the basis for my suspension, did not warrant such a heavy penalty,” he said. “The NNPP violated the principles of fair hearing and due process. I was expelled without being given an opportunity to defend myself.”
Despite describing his expulsion as unfair, Jibrin stated that he had accepted the party’s decision in good faith and would not seek legal redress.
“I have accepted the decision in good faith. I will not challenge it in court,” he said, adding that he had never defaulted in the payment of his dues as alleged.
The former Director-General of the Tinubu Support Groups also criticized the NNPP’s leadership style, accusing it of failing to recognize the worth of its members.
“The NNPP has failed to value its members,” he lamented, while thanking the party for the support he enjoyed during his stay.
Jibrin called on his supporters to join him in his “new journey” back to the APC, urging them to maintain peaceful relations with those who decide to remain in the NNPP.
His return is seen as a major boost for the APC in Kano State, a key battleground ahead of the 2027 general elections, as political alignments and realignments continue to shape Nigeria’s political landscape.
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