By Izunna Okafor, Awka
As the 2026 Local Government Election holds in Anambra State today, Saturday, August 29, the Anambra State Government has declared that there is no restriction of movement anywhere in the state, emphasizing that residents are free to go about their normal daily activities.
The State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr. Law Mefor, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with this reporter, Izunna Okafor, on Saturday, during which he also cleared the confusion surrounding reports and speculations about an alleged restriction of individual, social, public and economic activities because of the election.
According to Commissioner Mefor, markets across the state will remain open, while economic activities, as well as human and vehicular movements will continue as normal, stressing that neither the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), the State Government nor security agencies issued any order restricting movement for the election.
The clarification comes amid reports that some local government authorities had earlier advised communities against fixing events for Saturday, August 29, apparently in anticipation of a possible restriction of movement. This reporter gathered that the Nnewi South Local Government Area, for instance, had written to Presidents-General and traditional rulers in the council area, advising against the scheduling of events for the day and urging those who had already fixed events to reschedule them.
However, in his explanation of why the government saw no need for a movement restriction, Mefor noted that the election features largely sole candidates across the state, with Anambra East being the only Local Government Area where more than one candidate is contesting the mayoral election.
He explained that restrictions of movement during elections are often imposed to prevent violence and check situations in which people move from one polling location to another to cause disorder. According to him, the circumstances surrounding Saturday’s election do not justify shutting down markets, businesses and other economic activities or restricting movement across the entire state.
The Commissioner, however, clarified that voting would still take place across the 21 Local Government Areas. While normal ballot voting would hold in Anambra East, where there is more than one contestant, voters in other Local Government Areas with sole candidates would exercise their choice through the “Yes” or “No” ballot system.
Mefor therefore urged Ndị Anambra not to stay away from participating in the poll just because there are no restrictions on normal activities. He stressed the need for eligible voters to come out and exercise their franchise, noting that he himself would also visit his polling unit in his village later in the day to cast his vote.
The Information Commissioner also observed that ANSIEC, as the independent body conducting the election, ought to have publicly clarified the issue of movement earlier and informed the public that there is no restriction of movement or normal daily economic activities, given that members of the public naturally look to the electoral Commission for such official information concerning election-day arrangements.
While reassuring residents that they were free to attend lawful events, open their shops and markets, travel and carry out their normal businesses, Mefor also urged them to conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly.
He warned against any act capable of causing chaos, violence or disrupting the electoral process, stressing that the State Government and security agencies would not tolerate actions that could jeopardize the peaceful conduct and success of the election.
