Our Reporter, Awka
As part of preparations for the November 8, 2025, Anambra State off-cycle governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced training of field agents and local guides for the upcoming Voter Register Assessment (VRA) exercise.
The training was conducted on July 10 at La Luna Hotel, Awka, in a methodology workshop organized by The Electoral Institute (TEI), INEC’s research and training arm. The session was aimed at equipping participants with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to carry out a credible and data-driven evaluation of the voter register.
In his opening remarks, the Deputy Director of Library Services at TEI, who represented the Acting Director-General, Professor Ibrahim Sani, emphasized that the VRA was a critical step toward enhancing the credibility and reliability of the nation’s voter register.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute (BEI), represented by the Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu, reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to a transparent and well-planned election process.
“The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is currently ongoing across all 326 Registration Areas in Anambra,” Dr. Elizabeth noted. “The outcome of this assessment will be instrumental in improving the accuracy of the register and boosting public confidence in the electoral process.”
She urged the participants to carry out the assignment with integrity, professionalism, and a strong sense of duty, warning against the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information.
“The credibility of Nigeria’s elections depends, in part, on exercises like these. Your actions in the field can either uphold or undermine the integrity of our democracy,” she cautioned.
Participants were guided through the workshop schedule and briefed on the criteria for both the training and the forthcoming fieldwork. The VRA exercise is expected to generate empirical data that will help INEC identify duplicate entries, deceased voters, and other anomalies in the register.
