By Chinaza Osigwe
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun preparations for the upcoming Anambra State Governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections set for February 21, 2026.
At the first regular meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for 2025, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu emphasized the critical role of security agencies in ensuring smooth electoral processes.
Professor Yakubu highlighted the Commission’s plans to deploy officials across thousands of polling units and collation centers while working closely with security forces to address logistical and safety challenges. He also raised concerns about vote buying, stressing that while arrests have been made, more needs to be done to curb financial inducement, not just during elections but also at party primaries.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), represented by Hassan Yahaya Abdullahi, and the Inspector General of Police represented by the Commissioner of Police in-Charge of Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Abayomi Sogunle, acknowledged the security improvements seen in recent elections in Edo and Ondo states, saying that lessons from those elections would be applied to strengthen security measures for the upcoming Anambra poll.
With security at the forefront, both INEC and security agencies reaffirmed their commitment to delivering credible, peaceful, and transparent elections in the months ahead.
