By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has disclosed that the forthcoming August 29 local government election in the state will feature a unique “Yes” or “No” ballot paper and voting system for chairmanship candidates in 20 out of the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.
ANSIEC also explained that chairmanship candidates standing unopposed or contesting alone in their respective local government areas are not guaranteed victory until they secure higher “Yes” votes of the electorates over “No” votes.
The ANSIEC Commissioner in charge of Information and Publicity, Chief Chinedu Anthony Nnalue, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing and interacting with journalists at the Commission’s Headquarters in Awka on the level of preparedness for Saturday’s election.
Available information indicates that only the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) are participating in the election, with APGA fielding candidates across the state and YPP presenting candidates in Anambra East. By implication, APGA has sole chairmanship candidates in all the 21 local government areas of the state, except in the Anambra East Local Government where YPP fielded candidates.
Nnalue explained that although party primaries produce candidates, the ultimate decision on whether those sole candidates should be declared winners in their respective local governments and occupy the chairmanship office rests with the voters, because emerging unopposed at the party level does not translate to an automatic election victory.
According to him, the “Yes” or “No” ballot paper (without party logos) would be used in every local government area where only one candidate is contesting the chairmanship position, while the conventional ballot paper (containing party logos) would be used in Anambra East Local Government Area, where two candidates are in the race. He, however, noted that this process only applies in chairmanship elections and not in councilorship elections.
Explaining the implication of the new voting arrangement, the ANSIEC Commissioner said voters in the affected local government areas would be required to either endorse or reject the sole chairmanship candidate by voting “Yes” or “No”, rather than merely accepting the candidate because no other person is contesting against him or her.
He maintained that the arrangement would ensure that even an unopposed candidate still derives legitimacy from the people, noting that the electorate reserves the right to reject a candidate presented by a political party.
Nnalue said a candidate who receives the required majority of “Yes” votes would be declared elected, while having a higher “No” vote indicates rejection by the electorate and would mean that the candidate has failed in the election by not securing the mandate of the people. He explained that where such happens, the election process would have to return to stage one, with parties conducting primaries again and producing candidates.
He described the system as one of the major peculiarities of the Saturday’s election, adding that ANSIEC had given special training to relevant election officials to ensure that they properly understand and manage the process. He further revealed that this exercise would mark the first time such a process is being used in Anambra State.
The ANSIEC spokesman also gave an update on the Commission’s preparations, saying the election timetable had been released as far back as September 2025, while full-scale preparations commenced in February this year after political parties were directed to conduct their primaries and submit candidates for the various positions.
He said the Commission screened about 22 chairmanship candidates and 346 councillorship candidates, while the procurement and distribution of electoral materials and recruitment of ad hoc personnel had progressed substantially.
According to him, ANSIEC is more than 90 per cent ready for the election, with the training of ad hoc personnel conducted across the three senatorial zones and the final batch of training for collation officers and Supervisory Presiding Officers ongoing as of the time of the briefing.
Nnalue further said non-sensitive materials had begun to move to designated locations, while arrangements were being made to ensure that sensitive materials reached polling centres early enough for voting to commence by 8 a.m. on Saturday.
He appealed to eligible voters across the state to come out and participate in the exercise, insisting that the number of political parties participating in an election does not diminish the importance or legality of the process.
Responding to concerns raised by journalists over the participation of only two political parties, Nnalue maintained that ANSIEC’s responsibility was to conduct the election in accordance with the law and provide every political party willing to participate the opportunity and fair playing ground to do so, rather than compel parties to field candidates.
He also addressed the controversy surrounding the two-year tenure of elected local government officials in the state, saying the issue is a matter for the legislature and the courts, while the Commission’s duty remained the conduct of elections in line with the subsisting Anambra State Electoral Law. The controversy stems from the suit by serving councillors challenging the tenure provision and seeking to stop the election; although ANSIEC has maintained that preparations for the August 29 poll would continue.
On the councillorship election, Nnalue explained that sole candidates for councillorship positions would be treated differently under the applicable electoral framework and would not be subjected to the same “Yes” or “No” voting process outlined for unopposed chairmanship candidates.
The Saturday election will be held across Anambra’s 21 Local Government Areas and 326 wards, according to the election figures repeatedly cited by ANSIEC and participating political parties. The poll is expected to produce a new set of local government chairmen, popularly referred to in the state as mayors, as well as councillors for the various wards.
With the introduction of the “Yes” or “No” ballot, however, the ANSIEC has brought a new dimension to the election, making it clear that being the only candidate on the ballot does not necessarily mean that victory is assured.
