Tony Okafor, Awka
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed doubts over the conduct of elections in some parts of Anambra State in the 2023 general polls as gunmen continue to wreak havoc.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Queen-Elizabeth Agwu, expressed the fears in a meeting with stakeholders on Thursday at the INEC Secretariat in Awka, the state capital.
She asked the stakeholders rhetorically: ” Do you think elections will be held in those communities because of their current volatile state?”
The volatile areas, our correspondent gathered, are in about seven Local Government Areas of the Anambra South Senatorial District.
The purpose of the Thursday’s meeting was about voter education and a review of the security situation in the state prelude to next year’s general elections.
During the meeting some stakeholders reported that gunmen some days back set ablaze buildings belonging to prominent individuals in the area, including a traditional ruler’s house.
The President General, Osumoghu community in Nnewi South , Dennis Muomaife, who attended the stakeholders’ meeting told the audience that two of his buildings were burnt two weeks ago by unknown persons.
He said, “Not only that, the house of the traditional ruler of the community and that of the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly representing Ihiala 2 Constituency were equally set ablaze.
 Muomaife, however said his community had set up a peace and Reconciliation Committee in making sure that such issues were tackled in less than no time, adding, “we’re really doing something”
Addressing the stakeholders, the REC (Queen-Elizabeth) said it was high time the youth in Anambra State took possession of their land and rid it of criminal elements.
She said insecurity in Igboland was caused by indigenes and not imported persons, adding, “We are determined to hold 2023 election, it must be credible and the votes must count “
“This is the time for the youth to rise up in different communities to protect their people. We have prepared for the elections with materials and men. What we need from communities is to collect their Permanent Voters Cards PVCs and security. None sensible materials have been distributed already.
“Anything done that will make elections not successful in Anambra South should be resisted. Anyone caught doing abnormal things during the election will not be alive to tell the story .
“I’m relying on the presidents-general in all the communities and traditional rulers to secure their areas during the elections. Let us avoid suppressing ourselves .
The corporate existence of Nigeria depends on 2023 election. This nation is seriously depleted today and that’s why we’re talking about unity. Voter education concerns and affects everyone in this country. There are so many ways it affects us, but the problem we have here is our penchant for pursuing money to the detriment of our civic duties,” the REC stated