The Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONet), alongside national and international election stakeholders, has called on the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) to immediately provide a comprehensive update on its 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 the commission’s prolonged silence, warning that the lack of regular public communication just weeks before the elections could undermine public confidence and fuel uncertainty about the electoral process.
The group noted that civil society organisations, political parties, election observers, development partners and the media have continued to seek information on ANSIEC’s level of preparedness without receiving adequate updates.
According to the coalition, ANSIEC, as the constitutionally mandated electoral body for local government elections in the state, has a responsibility to keep the public informed through a detailed election timetable and regular updates on its operational activities.
The stakeholders urged the commission to publish key electoral information, including the full election timetable, the list of participating political parties and duly nominated candidates, the voters’ register for verification, as well as the final list of polling units, wards and voting points.
They also called for clear guidelines on voter accreditation, voting procedures, vote counting, result collation and declaration, alongside updates on the recruitment and training of ad hoc staff, distribution of election materials, security arrangements and election-day logistics.
The coalition further appealed to ANSIEC to immediately commence and publicise the accreditation process for domestic election observer organisations to enable them recruit, train and deploy observers across the state’s 21 local government areas and 326 electoral wards before Election Day.
ACSONet also urged the Anambra State Government to provide the commission with adequate funding, logistics, personnel and technological support to ensure the conduct of peaceful, transparent, free and credible local government elections.
The group maintained that transparency, stakeholder engagement, timely communication and operational readiness remain essential to delivering an electoral process that meets internationally accepted democratic standards.
