INEC staff preparing for smooth take off of election

Jethro Ibileke/Awka

The countdown has stopped. The zero hour is here. The much awaited Anambra state gubernatorial election finally takes off Saturday morning.

Awka, the state capital wears a serene look, devoid of the usual hustle and bustle, no thanks to the restriction of movement declared for the smooth conduct of the election.

The boisterously noisy Aroma junction, along Awka/Enugu highway is unusually calm and free, but for the security operatives and journalists who converged there as take-off point.

At exactly 8.10 am, officials of the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arrived at Arroma junction, Awka south LGA, venue of the Arroma 008 polling unit, consisting of three polling points.

Setting up of voting equipment, namely, tables, voting cubicles and voter’s list, by the ad-hoc staff of INEC began immediately, just as voters began to trickle in.

One of those waiting to vote, Chief Ozo Umeadi Augustine, expressed satisfaction with the arrangements.

As at the time of filling this report, it was reliably gathered that arrangements are also in progress at other voting centres around Arroma junction, but accreditation of voters was yet to begin.