Authorities of the Independent National Election (INEC) have met with leaders of various political parties ahead of the November 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

At the meeting held on Friday in Abuja, Chairman of the commission Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the forum was organised to afford the Commission and the leaders of the political parties an opportunity to thrash all lingering issues ahead of the Anambra polls.

The INEC boss disclosed that Anambra has 5,720 polling units, adding, however, that of the number stated, 86 polling units representing 1.5 percent have no single voter.

He also disclosed that 894 polling units representing 15.6 percent have only between 1 and 9 voters.

Prof. Yakubu further revealed that out of the 18 political parties, one has not fielded polling agents even though it has a governorship candidate.

INEC’s meeting with leaders of political parties ahead of the polls in Anambra comes two days after a joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee met with the Commission.

At the forum, Senate Committee Chairman on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya, said the meeting became imperative because of the security situation in the state and its effect on the election outcome.

He stated that INEC has increased the polling units in Anambra from 4,608 to 5,720 to allow better accessibility by the electorate.

The fear, according to Senator Gaya, remains that there are possibilities that the violence currently rocking the state might mar the poll.

In his remarks, Professor Yakubu informed the lawmakers that the commission was prepared for the election scheduled to hold on November 6.

“We have successfully carried out 12 of the 14 activities we should do, the only outstanding activities are on the last day of campaigns by political parties which are going to be in the next eight days, and the election proper on the 6th of November,” he said.

“We have recovered from the series of attacks on our facilities, and I am happy to say that we have deployed all relevant materials not only to Awka but all the Local Government Areas.

“We have trained the requisite number of ad-hoc staff for the election and we have also mobilised the transport owners for logistics. As far as INEC is concerned, we are prepared,” Professor Yakubu declared. (Channels TV)

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