The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has appealed to eligible voters in Anambra State to come out en masse to cast their ballot in Saturday’s governorship election.

Amupitan stated this at a press conference at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

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He said the greatest enemy of Anambra’s democracy was not just external violence but voter apathy.

The professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) revealed a worrying historical slide in voter participation in the state.

“The greatest enemy to Anambra’s democracy is not just external violence but voter apathy,” the SAN was quoted as saying in a statement on the Commission’s X handle.

“In the 2013 governorship election, turnout was only 25.5 per cent. In 2017, it dropped further to 20.10 per cent.

“In 2021, the situation deteriorated sharply with a mere 10.27 per cent turnout,” he added.

He, however, stated that the Commission was determined to deliver a credible, inclusive, and transparent election in Anambra State on Saturday, November 8, 2025.

“Come out and exercise their civic right without fear or favour. Democracy only thrives when citizens actively choose their leaders,” Amupitan stated.

The INEC chairman also reported a “major” success in voter preparedness, with the percentage of collected PVCs now standing at an “impressive 98.80 per cent.”

This, he said, followed an extension of the PVC collection period, which yielded “excellent results”.

Sixteen candidates will participate in the election across 21 local government areas of the state on Saturday.

No fewer than 2,802,790 registered voters will cast their ballots across 5,718 polling units.

To forestall a breach of the peace during the election, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, approved the deployment of 45,000 policemen for the exercise.