The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission in Anambra State, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, has called on eligible voters in the state to shun any form of electoral illegalities, warning that anyone caught in the act will face a jail term.

He made the call Monday at the end of his supervisory and evaluation tour of the state.

Ibeanu explained that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration in the 326 wards was to afford every eligible voter an opportunity to obtain INEC Permanent Voters Card.

The state INEC boss noted that anyone without the card has no business nearing the polling centre on election day.

He said, “I have to personally come here to ensure that the registration exercise at ward level is being carried out as specified by the Commission, because we do not want to create any gap that would hinder the success of the November 18 governorship election in the state.”

According to him, the Commission moved the registration exercise, which started on August 10 to end August 15 from the Local Government Areas to the ward level to ensure that no vacuum was created.

He added that INEC will publish the voters register from August 15 to 20 in all registration centres for electorates to cross check their names for final compilation of the voter register.

Ibeanu said he visited a number of registration centres in four Local Government Areas with concentration in Onitsha and environs due to the strategic nature of the city.

While expressing joy at the large turnout of people in the areas visited, he appealed to eligible voters who are yet to get their Permanent Voter Card to do so, explaining that the exercise was for those who were yet to obtain the card first and warned against double registration, noting that such act is a punishable offence.

He called on those who misplaced or lost their card or those on transfer from their former place of residence to another area to also visit any INEC office nearest to them for attention.

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