From all indications, the November 6, 2021, Anambra State governorship election may have run into troubled waters, as a huge number of adhoc staff recruited for the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have resigned due to fear of attacks by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The pro-Biafran group, had last weekend, issued a statement through its Spokesman, Emma Powerful, announcing one week sit-at-home in South–East region beginning from November 5, 2021, should the federal government fail to set its leader, Nnamdi Kanu free unconditionally by November 4, 2021. That declaration has put fear in the Anambra election adhoc staff, who said they don’t want to risk their lives, going by IPOB’s antecedents.
It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in May increased the polling units in Anambra State from 4,608 to 5,720 with about 10,000 ad hoc workers required for the governorship poll exercise. However, despite its insistence of preparedness, several of the adhoc workers who signed up for the assignment have resigned without any replacement.
A dependable Source in the Commission said on Monday that: “INEC is now short of thousands of ad-hoc staff members due to IPOB declaration. Those who initially signed up have now resigned en-masse.” He said there have been low responses by adhoc workers who will conduct the poll because of the security situation in the southeast region, particularly with the activities of IPOB.
