Abuja/Awka — As tension mounts in Anambra over the governorship election billed for today, LEADERSHIP WEEKEND can authoritatively report that people have started leaving the state because of a heavy military presence, just as the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. John Ahmadu, has assured that no shot would be fired by his men.

Some Anambra people who were already scared because of the heavy presence of armed men, and the steady arrival of helicopters, coupled with the charged atmosphere of the state, have already started relocating to neighbouring states and their respective villages.

It was gathered that there had been an announcement that there would be restriction of movement today, resulting in a rush by some people to leave the state before 9pm yesterday.

Already, the state has been overtaken by a large number of armed policemen, the military, members of the Federal Road Safety Corp, Civil Defence and many others.

Meanwhile, the AIG in charge of operations, Mr John Ahmadu who has temporarily relocated from his Force Headquarters, Abuja office to Awka, in a crowded press briefing Friday morning, said that not even one shot would be fired by the armed men.

According to him, the guns would only prove useful in extreme situations. He said that his men would only use their hands and that they had been duly instructed not to use their guns unnecessarily.

Ahmadu commended contestants in the race who he said had shunned violence throughout the period of their campaigns. He saluted their resolve to eschew violence in the election, saying the police were sure of what was expected of them, because of all the meetings held with them.

He urged that anyone not accredited to monitor or observe the election should not be found around the polling units or the collation centres. Contrary to the initial voters' education by the candidates that they should stay around after voting to guard their votes, the DIG warned that every voter was expected to leave for their homes immediately after voting.

Because the election has been long in coming, aside President Umaru Yar'Adua's health debacle, it is easily the most discussed issue in the polity. As the highly anticipated gubernatorial election scheduled for today gets underway, anxiety best describes what is in the air in Anambra State.

Following the Supreme Court's ruling on June 14, 2007 which upheld incumbent Governor Peter Obi's contention that his tenure in office was yet to expire having assumed office on March 17, 2009, Obi resumed office to complete his mandatory 4-year tenure. That tenure comes to an end a few weeks from today, and for Anambra State and its people, it is time to head to the polls.

While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had expressed its readiness and willingness to conduct a free and fair election in the state, with the arrival of sensitive materials for the election's conduct coming in last Wednesday, the situation on ground, however, suggests that INEC's history of conducting controversial elections is playing out.

While allegations of plans to rig the election in favour of certain candidates are rife, the 23,000 man security force deployed to the state underlines the apprehension over the possibility of the smooth conduct of the election. This is just as a judicial challenge hangs over the intended election.

Just last Thursday, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, declared that the INEC as presently constituted was incompetent to conduct any election in Nigeria. Justice Mohammed Liman delivered the judgement in a suit brought before him by the Action Congress, challenging the composition of the electoral body vis-a-vis its powers to conduct elections at present.

Justice Liman hinged his judgement on the fact that the quorum of members recommended by the Constitution to exercise such powers had not been met. The court stressed that the INEC was supposed to have five members to form a quorum constitutionally by virtue of Section 159 of the 1999 Constitution and not four, as presently constituted. It said the four members of the board lacked the powers to take decisions in the name of INEC.

While this poser stands, allegations of bias on the part of INEC continue unabated, as the Commission's chairman is alleged to be set to rig Dr. Andy Uba of the Labour Party into office. Before now, Prof Charles Soludo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has also been mentioned as one of those that might be smuggled into the Awka Government House.

The tension being witnessed in the state is due to the fact that electoral democracy ,except perhaps in Edo and Ondo, has seen Anambra come tops in the delivery of fraudulent elections. In the 2003 general elections, all three senators elected under the PDP were adjudged to be impostors. Needless to say, Dr Chris Ngige then of PDP, had ridden on the mandate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to enjoy a two and a half year sojourn as the state's number one citizen. Indeed, why Obi's tenure had to be extended is as a result of Ngige's onslaught, which consequently is the reason why Anambra is headed for the polls in 2010 and not 2011. No thanks to the 17-day governorship of Andy Uba as governor.

For the election in the state, the call for a free and fair election has known no bounds. Despite the several meetings that have been held between INEC and stakeholders towards achieving this, optimism is at its lowest ebb, as again the credibility of the electoral body has been brought under question, as not many can vouch for its neutrality in the conduct of the election.

Being described as the leopard that cannot change its spots, the INEC, following its conduct of the 2007 general elections, described as a sham and the most fraudulent, proceeded to conduct the Ekiti, Kogi, Adamawa, Bayelsa, as well as other re-run elections, without significant changes.

Vice President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged the electoral body to ensure that the Anambra elections are credible and transparent. In his opinion, the conduct of the election in Anambra is pertinent, as it has the capacity to redefine democratic elections in the country.

Said the vice president: "A better message to the world cannot come out of Anambra than the fact that the votes must count and be counted. This is our covenant with the Nigerian people and there is no going back."

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has also warned against election malpractice in Anambra, promising that it will work together with NGOs and civil society groups to improve the state of the elections.

To assert its quest for a free and fair election, the Anambra Revolutionary Movement, Thursday, deposited a coffin at the office of the INEC in Awka, Anambra state, warning that a massive attack awaited its staff should the result be manipulated in any way.

INEC, on its part, however, has been quick to push the blame to politicians, saying the evil that has beclouded the polity can largely be attributed to the do -or -die attitude of politicians in the country. This is just as it adds that security is not the responsibility of INEC in the conduct of elections, an issue that has always marred elections.

For Anambra, the election monitoring board headed by Mr Ikeazor Akarariwe has faulted the security arrangements for the exercise, faulting the logistics and communications arrangement put in place by the police for the election.

Meanwhile, the Anambra Police commissioner has assured of a peaceful election in the state, as the security agents deployed to the state are more than enough to maintain law and order.

Mr Lahil warned all would be troublemakers to stay away or face the full wrath of the law, calling only duly registered voters to come out to peacefully vote. He said all the police sent to the state had been paid their entitlements and were ready for today's task.

On his part, INEC's resident electoral commissioner said they are ready for the task ahead and would not be cowed by those who left the coffin at INEC's office.

Mr Josiah Uwazuronye, who is to be supported by the resident electoral commissioners of Ondo, Gombe and Kaduna States, Chief Ayo Dada, Alhaji Bello Ileha and Alhaji Ishiaku Maigoro in the supervision of the election, has promised a free and fair election, saying election materials have since left central office and been distributed to all parts of the state.

The candidates for today's election, expected to be hotly contested include Chris Ngige, AC; Andy Uba, LP; Peter Obi, APGA; Mike Nwafor, ALP; Mike Nnamdi Ejezie, ANPP; Ralph Okey Nwosu, ADC; and Ndubuisi Godfrey of the NBP.

Others gunning to control the politically volatile state include Ogochukwu Elogum (NNPP); Okolie Nwachukwu (UNPP); George Okoye (NMPP); Njideka Anyadike (NAP); Nicolas Ukachukwu (HDP); Geoffrey Onyejebu (PPN), Chukwuemeka Kenneth(CDC); Godson Okoye (UDP); and Emmanuel Nwalunor(ARP).

Also on the bill are Eugine Ezekweze (PMP); Benjamin Obidigbo(RNP); Onunuchi Valentine(BNPP); Kenneth Nwoba (NPP); Christopher Ikwegbu (NMDP), Uche Ekwunife (PPA ); Egono Olisa (CPP); Victor Anigbasa (NSBP); and Charles Soludo of the PDP.