INEC fixes Anambra governorship election for November 6

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Anambra governorship election for November 6.

The vote is for a new governor that would take over from Willie Obiano in March 2022, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which announced the new date on Tuesday.

INEC Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, who disclosed this in a statement, said the date followed a meeting by the commission to deliberate on the activities for the conduct of the poll, adding that the tenure of Governor Willie Obiano would expire by March 17, 2022.

“By virtue of Section (178)(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 25(7) and (8) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), election into the office of the State Governor shall hold not earlier than 150 and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office,” the statement partly read.

“Constitutionally and statutorily, the tenure of the Governor of Anambra State will expire on 17^th of March 2022 and the earliest date for the election into the office of Governor, Anambra State, shall be 18^th October 2021 and the latest date for the election shall be 15^th February 2022.

“In the exercise of the powers conferred on it by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and all other powers enabling it in that regard, the Commission has fixed 6^th November 2021 as the date for the conduct of the Anambra State Governorship election.”

According to the electoral umpire, a statutory notice on the timetable and schedule of electoral activities would be issued on June 9.

While the collection of forms would commence on June 10, INEC said the deadline for the conduct of primaries and resolution of conflicts arising from the exercise is July 1.