A not-for-profit civic organisation, Yiaga Africa, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the early arrival of election materials and officials during Anambra the governorship election.

The Director of Programmes, Yiaga, Cynthia Mbamalu, gave the commendation at the Community Primary School, Amawbia, Awka South LGA on Saturday in Amawbia.

She said that Yiaga Africa was up early in the morning to monitor the arrival of materials and personnel at polling units.

She said during an interview that the election commenced by 8:30 a.m as stated by the INEC electoral act.

Ms Mbamalu said that the Amawbia community polling unit has multiple polling units

She noted that early arrival of personnel and materials at 7.34 a.m was a sign of early start of the election and described it as commendable.

She said that Yiaga Africa’s way of accessing transparent elections was early arrival of adequate personnel and materials for the commencement of election by 8:30 a.m as contained in INEC Electoral Act.

Mbamalu hoped that the story of Amawbia community primary school would reflect in all the polling units across the state.

She said that the group would go round to ascertain that the story was the same in other parts of the state.

The Yiaga director urged INEC to ensure that full materials and personnel needed for the election arrived on time as allowed by the law.

She also appealed that functional BVAS were provided to all polling units to make the election process a transparent one.

“In the last election in the state only 17 per cent of INEC personnel and materials were present in the various polling units by 7:30 a.m. Yiaga Africa hopes that the story of Amawbia community primary school goes round all the polling units to change the narratives, only then will the election be described as transparent,” she said.

INEC Presiding Officer, Ade Bose, said that there were two polling units 001 and 002 with 1411 registered voters.

She said that all materials for the election were on ground.

Patricia Okpalachukwu of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and other sister agencies were on ground too.

Umerah Chikwenze of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) said that the arrival on time of the security agencies and INEC officials showed commitment to the new face of the electoral process.

He prayed for a smooth, free and fair electioneering exercise and for the election results to be upheld at last.

Onyeka Uchenna representing the All Progressive Congress (APC) expressed the hope that the voters would come out on time and en masse to cast their votes for their preferred candidates.

At the Enugwu-Ukwu Community of Njikoka LGA ward 1 polling unit 013, materials, the personnel and voters were on ground waiting to commence voting by 8: 30a.m.

The INEC Presiding Officer, Amarachi Onwe, said that a total number of 538 voters were registered in the polling unit.

A 56-year-old voter, Sunday Okorie, said that he was early at the polling unit to perform his civic right before it gets crowded, because he was not too strong to wait in the queue.

Also at ward 2, polling unit 004, Inspector Comfort Oparinde and his NSCDC counterpart, a Deputy Superintendent were all on ground.

Ngozi Anagor, from ward 2, polling unit 006, at St. Ben Primary School reported the arrival of election officers at about 7:50 a.m with voters coming out in bits.

At about 8:a.m of monitoring, the areas reflected above had the presence of security personnel and INEC ad hoc officers.

(NAN)