INEC says it is fully prepared to conduct an election in 4,720 out of the 4,758 polling units established for the November 11 governorship election in Imo.

The election will not be held in the remaining 38 polling units where INEC recorded zero registered voters, the supervising national electoral commissioner in Imo, Ken Ukeagu, said.

Mr Ukeagu made the declaration at the presentation of the official voter register to political parties on Thursday in Owerri.

Mr Ukeagu said 17 political parties would field candidates at the election.

“The total number of registered voters for the election in Imo is 2,419,922, comprising 1,199,263 males and 1,220,659 females. INEC has cleared nine hurdles out of the 13 hurdles for clearing for the governorship elections in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa slated for the same day.

“The publication of the official register of voters is the 10th hurdle, and that is what we did on Thursday. The three remaining issues are the publication of Notice of Poll, the declaration of the last day for campaigns by political parties and the conduct of the election itself,” Mr Ukeagu explained.

He explained that the publication of the official register of voters for the governorship election was in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act (2022).

“We are also making progress in critical areas of preparation for the election, including the provision of sensitive and non-sensitive materials and the recruitment of ad hoc staff. We are equally making progress in planning for the movement of personnel and materials for the election,” he added.

Mr Ukeagu said INEC would organise mock accreditation in nine polling units spread across nine local government and registration areas in Imo’s three senatorial districts on Saturday using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

“The exercise will enable INEC to test run the functionality of the BVAs and accreditation process as part of preparation for the governorship election,” he explained.

Mr Ukeagu assured Imo people that INEC had concluded arrangements to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election, adding that “political parties, candidates and their supporters are cautioned to shun violence, voter intimidation and any form of malpractice during the election.”

(NAN)