Despite security concerns, stakeholders assured Zone inhabitants that the general elections would go place.

They believe the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) has implemented comprehensive security measures to ensure peaceful, credible, and violence-free elections in the zone.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu, informed the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that the election would "certainly hold," as did INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu in London.

Chukwu said the ICCES has developed a secret security plan to secure state security in the future.

He also promised secure elections before, during, and after.

Enugu will hold elections. We are planning transparent, credible, and violence-free elections for Enugu.

We are working hard to make it happen here and across Nigeria.

“People should not entertain panic even as we know that for some time now, the security situation has settling down in the state,” he stated.

State Police Commissioner Ahmed Ammani also assured locals that the poll will take place.

Ammani said the police and sister security agencies would deal with a few pockets of violence or dissidents in the state.

The commissioner, who is the co-Chairman of ICCES in Enugu State, stated that security agencies and formations in the state have developed ways to maintain peace and safety.

“For a few dissidents' criminal conduct, security forces will strike swiftly and decisively.

He cautioned troublemakers and saboteurs that anyone who undermines election security will be responsible.

Comrade Gabriel Odi, Chairman, Coalition of Enugu State Political Parties Youth Leaders, said the youths were trying to ensure a violence-free election by sensitizing the youth.

The coalition's Vote and Do Not Fight Campaign is spreading across all electoral wards, and we want youths to adopt a civilized approach to elections.

Odi stated, “We believe the election will hold and that is why we are investing in it with our resources and time to guarantee we make it genuine and devoid of violence.

INEC in Ebonyi believes PVC collection is crucial to its preparation for the 2023 general elections.

The Ebonyi Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Pauline Onyeka, told NAN in Abakaliki that the commission would do everything possible to conduct credible, free, and fair elections.

She insists on the Feb. 25 and March 11 presidential, National Assembly, Governorship, and state House of Assembly dates.

Onyeka said there were enough logistics arrangements for a smooth exercise.

She said the commission was working with electoral stakeholders to speed up PVC distribution and collection in the state.

However, the REC recommended for more engagement with stakeholders to speed up PVC collection by owners within the extended term.

In December, the commission convened an enlarged stakeholders' interactive meeting to update stakeholders on election preparations.

The REC said the commission would guarantee that all registered voters in the state acquired their cards within INEC's deadline and appealed on stakeholders to educate the public.

She stressed that voter card collection was essential to election administration and that voters without cards would not be permitted to vote.

“We have put enough logistics provisions in place to ensure seamless conduct of the February and March elections and all we request is for the electorate to collect their PVC in the ongoing collection activity which has been extended by eight days.

“No voting on election day without the PVC, so every registered voter who has not collected their voter card must do so.

My predecessor met with political party leaders in Ebonyi, traditional rulers, media, and members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

“At those meetings, the commission updated stakeholders on its agenda and general election preparation.

“I also met with ICCES members to voice my concern about hoodlums burning INEC offices in the state and the South-East.

“As part of security plans to protect our facilities and property, I had requested that security be beefed up in all the offices and the places for collection of PVCs and security agencies had assured us of appropriate protection of INEC offices and staff,” Onyeka said.

Mr. Aliyu Garba, Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi, told NAN that there will be appropriate security before, during, and after the election and urged the public to report any security breaches in their areas.

The police chief asked communities and key stakeholders to help secure INEC facilities in their areas.

Eze Charles Mkpuma, a traditional ruler, urged security authorities to prepare for the poor security in various regions of the country in an interview.

Ebonyi Council of Traditional Rulers Chairman Mkpuma promised the royal fathers' support in mobilizing their followers to collect their PVCs.

Mkpuma said the police and other law enforcement authorities should prepare enough to protect lives and property before, during, and after elections.

In a statement, the commission's chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, reassured Nigerians that the poll will go forward as planned.

Anambra locals in Awka accused failed and overzealous politicians for the rise in violent attacks on INEC headquarters.

Recover Nigeria Project National Coordinator Osita Obi told NAN that unsuccessful politicians burned INEC facilities and other public facilities to damage their opponents' strengths.

Obi claims that these politicians are causing problems in their opponents' strongholds to force the electoral umpire to reschedule elections.

“After the general elections, a date is chosen for election in such regions, the public might not be willing to participate owing to fear of possible breakout of violence,” he stated.

Awka resident Tony Ezike agreed with Obi that politicians were complicit in such attacks.

“It has been long since bad eggs began to target INEC, police stations, and other public buildings all with the purpose to sabotage the elections,” he stated.

Obi emphasized that common Nigerians are ready for elections because they need a shift in state resource management.

DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Anambra Command, said police were ready for the polls.

Mr. George Edeani, HOD Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Awka, said the Commission was completing up election preparations.

We are distributing Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) at various wards and have non-sensitive materials in local government regions.

He advised individuals who registered and received temporary cards to get their PVCs since they cannot vote without them.

Edeani said INEC in the state was sensitizing community leaders to avoid the trend of damaging INEC infrastructure.

He stated the conduct hurt both the arsonists and the public.

Edeani prayed for INEC and other public facility vandals to change their minds.

(Source: guardian.ng)