Yiaga Africa, CSOs, Media Partners Meet In Awka Identify Flaws Against Anambra 2025

Chukwujekwu Ilozue

The Yiaga Africa, in collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs) and media partners, with support from the European Union through its European Union support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme convened a roundtable on August 22nd 2025, with key election stakeholders deliberated on the pre-election environment and the opportunities for the conduct of inclusive, transparent and credible election on November 8.

Among other things the meeting discussed observer deployment and Yiaga Africa’s Process and Results Verification for Transparency (PRVT) election observation methodology.

The round table observed dangers ahead of the November 8 governorship election based on observable lapses recorded in the 2023 general election, registration procedures of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and lessons learnt from the August 16 by-elections in Anambra state among other issues.
According to INEC, 16 political parties are set to participate in the November 8 election and an estimated 2.8million registered to vote.
Key issues identified as impediment include: inadequate timeline and poor management of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which even though the exercise was extended was marred by an inadequate timeline and poor operational management.

According to the round table, the exercise which was designed to enable first-time voters to register, and allow for transfers and replacements of PVCs was undermined by several challenges, including overcrowded registration centres, with long queues and extended wait times; shortage of personnel and registration equipment in many centres; and poor crowd control and logistical inefficiencies, which discouraged participation.
This eroded public trust.
Another major problem is the challenge of security as Anambra State continues to grapple with complex security challenges, shaped by both internal and external dynamics.

Participants at the roundtable expressed deep concern about intimidation and harassment by operatives under the vigilante security structure established by the Anambra State Government under the “Udo-Gaachi” operation which featured prominently during the bye-election.

These operatives, originally intended to support federal security agencies, reportedly engaged in acts of extortion, harassment, and intimidation of citizens, contributing to a climate of fear in communities already grappling with insecurity.

Also, movement of politicians with security operatives across polling units on Election Day and the use of vigilantes for politics as witnessed on August 16, 2025 bye-election must be discouraged as they exposed troubling trends in the misuse of state security.
Added to these are operational gaps in Elections Logistics. Anambra is said to have of this.

The round table observed that in the 2021 governorship election, only 28% of polling units had opened by 9:30 a.m., while 21% were still closed by noon. Similar challenges were reported in the previous polls.
The communique was signed by over 20 CSOs#