By Ovat Abeng
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has held a sensitization workshop for stakeholders to mitigate violence and challenges that could hamper the free, fair and credible November 8, 2025 governorship election Anambra State.
The workshop titled “Electoral Risk Management (ERM) Sensitization Workshop for November 8, 2025 Anambra State governorship election, which took place at Geneva Hotel in Awka on Friday, included security agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Department of State Security, National Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Orientation Agency, Civil Society Organizations and the media.
In her keynote address,, INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of the Planning, Monitoring, and Strategy Committee, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, assured the readiness of the Commission to conduct a free, fair, and credible election that will be acceptable to the people of Anambra State and Nigeria as a whole.
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To conduct a hitch-free election in the state, she said stakeholders need to identify the peculiar and potential challenges they are confronted with, understand the risk factors involved, analyze the risk data, and take actions to mitigate or circumvent election-related risks.
“Identifying challenges that could hamper the conduct of free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections, Ajayi noted security challenges as a major concern that must be tackled.”
She pointed out insecurity as of the major challenges to the conduct of the forthcoming election in the state.
She noted that unguarded utterances by politicians and inciting speeches further heat up the already tense political space, urging them to desist from this act.
“All of the above risk factors, if not well managed, could potentially hamper the conduct of a credible election. While electoral violence and other external factors mentioned are mostly at the top of the agenda when identifying risks, we must also give serious attention to internal risk factors such as the Commission’s internal logistics, recruitment, training, and posting, payment of ad-hoc staff, and adherence to the Commission’s standard processes and procedures,” she said.
She highlighted that the Commission adopted Election Risk Management as one of the key monitoring strategies in its Elections Management tools, which over the years has helped the Commission enhance its capacity to understand risk factors, analyze risk data, and take effective actions to prevent and mitigate election-related insecurity and other challenges.
Gumus also pointed out that the conduct of a successful election is a collective mandate requiring the cooperation of security agencies, the media and other stakeholders.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Queen Elizabeth Ugwu, in her welcome address, described ERM as a crucial part of INEC’s preparations for the forthcoming governorship election to achieve a violence-free election.
Ugwu who described elections as the bedrock of democracy, said safety, fairness, and transparency are the collective responsibility of all stakeholders.
“Therefore, the objectives of today’s workshop is not only to deepen our understanding of potential threats to the electoral process but also to foster a collaborative environment where we can share intelligence, innovative strategies, and build stronger networks for the successful conduct of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
“In addition, it will facilitate the exchange of risk information between stakeholders and strengthen INEC’s capacity to collect and analyze risk data to improve situational awareness.
The Commissioner appeal to security agencies not to relent its continue support for the commission.
Dr Jennifer Ikechukwu, on her paper presentatio, explained that the workshop sought to expose participants to the Commission’s Electoral Risk Framework, identify internal and external risk factors associated with the conduct of the governorship election, and develop mitigating strategies.
Representative of the security agencies, in their seperate speeches commended INEC for its continue effort in keeping Nigeria together as one through the democracy processes.
They promised to support the commission by providing adequate security before, during and after the November 8, 2025 governorship election in the state.
The workshop also included interactive sessions and question-and-answer sessions.
