Ahead of the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, key political stakeholders, including Governor Chukwuma Soludo and other candidates, convened on Monday to sign a crucial peace accord. This initiative, spearheaded by the National Peace Committee (NPC), underscored a collective commitment to upholding the rules and regulations stipulated in the Electoral Act, ensuring a peaceful, free, fair, and credible electoral process.

Former Head of State and Chairperson of the National Peace Committee, Abdulsalam Abubakar, represented by Martin-Luther Agwai, emphasized Anambra's special place in the country and stressed that democracy must always reflect the will of the people. Bishop Hassan Kukah, Convener of the NPC, further highlighted the event's purpose to make democracy 'believable' and urged all agencies involved, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to execute their duties with fairness and honour.

INEC Chairperson, Joash Amupitan, reaffirmed the commission's unwavering commitment to conducting a transparent and credible election. He stated that INEC's success hinges on the collective support and cooperation of all stakeholders. Amupitan made this promise during a visit to the INEC office in Awka and a subsequent stakeholders' meeting, where he reiterated that the commission's responsibility is to the nation and its people. He cautioned against any attempts by 'vested interests' to discredit the electoral process, affirming INEC's focus and resolve to discharge its constitutional mandate.

Governor Soludo, representing the All Progressives Grand Alliance, echoed the importance of peaceful elections, describing the signing of the accord as a crucial step towards fostering a thriving democracy in Anambra State. He remarked on the unique 'Anambra way' of robust political contestation followed by post-election unity, expressing confidence in INEC's ability to ensure the will of the people prevails. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that 16 political parties are slated to participate in the upcoming poll.

In terms of logistical preparations, INEC has approved a final register of 2,802,790 eligible voters for the November 8 election. The commission has finalized deployment plans for approximately 24,000 personnel and election materials across 5,718 polling units, 326 ward collation centres, and 21 local government and state collation centres in Awka. Amupitan also affirmed strong measures to combat vote-buying, vowing to deal firmly with any individual or group attempting to subvert the will of the people.

Security arrangements are robust, with the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun (represented by DIG Ben Okolo), assuring that the Nigeria Police Force is fully prepared to maintain peace and order. Comprehensive strategies have been mapped out in collaboration with sister security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property throughout the process. The Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) has instituted robust security measures, with the Nigeria Police Force deploying 45,000 personnel and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps deploying 10,250 officers, alongside other agencies, to guarantee a secure environment for voters.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Elizabeth Agwu, provided an operational update, confirming the distribution of non-sensitive materials to all 21 local government areas. She stated that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) had been fully configured, tested, and was ready for deployment, highlighting INEC's commitment to a technology-driven election. Generators have also been deployed to critical locations to ensure uninterrupted power supply. Amupitan further specified that all election materials must arrive at polling units by 7:00 a.m. and elections must commence by 8:30 a.m. without delay. Collation must occur in the presence of party agents, and collated results must precisely align with BVAS records, underscoring the commission's vigilance and unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the electoral process.

The INEC chairman concluded by commending the National Peace Committee for its dedication to promoting peaceful elections and expressed confidence that the collective efforts of all stakeholders, including security agencies, traditional, community, and religious leaders, civil society, and the media, would ensure the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election is peaceful and successful.