The Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONet), alongside other national and international election stakeholders, has called on the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) to urgently provide the public with comprehensive information on its level of preparedness for the August 29, 2026 Local Government Chairmanship and Councillorship elections.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of ACSONet, Prince Chris Azor, the coalition expressed concern over what it described as ANSIEC’s silence with only a few weeks to the polls.
It noted that the lack of official communication was creating uncertainty, fuelling speculation and weakening public confidence in the electoral process.
The group said civil society organisations, political parties, election observers, the media, development partners and other stakeholders had repeatedly sought information on the commission’s readiness without receiving adequate updates.
According to the statement, ANSIEC, as the body constitutionally mandated to conduct local government elections in the state, should immediately publish a detailed election timetable and begin providing regular public briefings on key aspects of its preparations.
The coalition urged the commission to disclose critical information, including the election timetable and major milestones, the list of participating political parties and duly nominated candidates, and the publication of the voters’ register for verification, claims and objections.
It also called for the release of the final list of polling units, wards and voting points, as well as clear guidelines on voter accreditation, voting procedures and vote counting.
Other areas the group said required immediate public clarification include the recruitment, training and deployment of electoral officials, the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials, security arrangements, election-day logistics, and procedures for result collation, declaration and dispute resolution.
ACSONet further urged ANSIEC to immediately commence and publicise the accreditation of domestic election observer organisations by announcing the application process, eligibility criteria, code of conduct and timelines for accreditation.
It noted that early accreditation would enable observer groups to recruit, train and deploy competent observers across the state’s 21 local government areas and 326 electoral wards.
The civil society coalition also appealed to the Anambra State Government to ensure ANSIEC receives adequate financial, human, technological and logistical support to conduct elections that are peaceful, transparent, free, fair and credible.
According to the statement, the timely release of funds, provision of election materials, secure transportation, reliable communication systems, effective security coordination and sufficient electoral personnel are essential to the success of the exercise.
The group stressed that transparent communication, stakeholder engagement, operational readiness, independent election observation, equal treatment of contestants and prompt declaration of results are internationally recognised principles that strengthen public trust and the credibility of elections.
It added that while several states across the country continue to conduct local government elections in line with constitutional provisions, Anambra should strive to become a model of transparency, professionalism and electoral integrity.
ACSONet reaffirmed its commitment to working with ANSIEC, the state government, political parties, security agencies, the media, development partners and other election stakeholders to ensure the forthcoming council polls reflect the will of the people.
“The time for proactive public engagement is now. Transparency before Election Day remains the strongest guarantee of credibility after the results are declared,” the statement said.
