The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday began a three-day training for corps members in Enugu State, ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Anambra State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the training is being held at the local government secretariats in the state.
The corps members are being trained on polling and counting procedures, among others, for the election.
In Enugu North Local Government Area (LGA), over 20 corps members participated in the first day of the training.
The Training Officer, INEC Anambra State, Dr Patricia Iwu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), explained that the Commission extended the training to corps members in the state in order to meet its required number for the election.
On security of the corps members, she noted that lNEC has made “commendable arrangements”.
Iwu explained, “INEC is prepared to secure the ad hoc staff, including the corps members right from the local governments to the polling units.
“Now that we are training a group here in Enugu, the Commission is also prepared to lift them up with security from here to their respective assigned local governments.
“More so, the Federal Government has deployed 340,000 security officers to Anambra State and we believe that there won’t be any security challenges.”
The officer noted that disinformation on social media intended “to frighten people from doing their work,” is, however, a challenge.
Participating corps members, who spoke to NAN, expressed their confidence in the Federal Government keeping them safe while discharging their electoral duties.
The young graduates noted that they had no cause to worry due to the heavy security presence being provided by the government.
The November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, to find a successor to Governor Willie Obiano, is being contested by 18 candidates from 18 political parties.
However, the leading four candidates are Chukwuma Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, running under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Val Ozigbo, a captain of industry and flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Andy Uba, a one-time governor of Anambra State, contesting under the All Progressives Congress (APC); and Ifeanyi Ubah, a Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, and running under the Young Progressives Party. (NAN)
