The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) says there will be no automatic victory for any chairmanship candidate in Saturday, August 29, 2026, local government elections, even where only one candidate is contesting a chairmanship seat.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday at a pre-election briefing at the commission’s secretariat in Awka, ANSIEC Commissioner for Information and Publicity, Sir Tony Chinedu, said sole candidates must still secure the required majority of “Yes” votes to be declared winners.

He explained that where two or more candidates are contesting a chairmanship position, the election would proceed through the normal voting process, with the candidate who polls the highest number of votes declared the winner.

However, where only one candidate is on the ballot, voters will be required to vote “Yes” or “No” for the candidate.

“A sole candidate will not be declared the winner automatically,” Chinedu said. “The candidate must secure at least two-thirds of the ‘Yes’ votes cast to be declared elected. If there is a predominant ‘No’ vote against the candidate, the election will be declared inconclusive and the process will start afresh from the party primaries.”

The commissioner noted that the same “Yes/No” principle would not apply to councillorship elections, adding that councillors would emerge through the normal voting process.

Chinedu disclosed that 22 candidates had been screened for the 21 local government chairmanship positions.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) fielded candidates in all 21 chairmanship positions, while the Young Progressives Party (YPP) fielded one candidate.

For councillorship, he said 346 candidates had been screened for the 326 wards across the state.

The commissioner said the commission was “over 90 per cent ready” for the polls, adding that preparations had reached an advanced stage.

He said the recruitment and training of ad hoc personnel had been concluded, with training conducted in the state’s three senatorial zones on separate days.

Chinedu also said the evacuation of non-sensitive materials to designated locations had commenced, while sensitive materials would be moved to their respective areas on Saturday morning.

On possible court actions, he said the commission would not be deterred.

“The court will not stop our election,” he declared.

He added that the tenure of the incoming local government chairmen remained two years.

Chinedu recalled that ANSIEC had earlier fixed August 29, 2026, for the elections, noting that the process had now reached its final stage.

He said only APGA and YPP had indicated interest in the election, adding that the commission had screened their candidates and published their names.

The commissioner also said the commission had approved substitutions where necessary and that all other arrangements were being finalised ahead of the polls.

On the lawsuit by about 56 councillors seeking postponement of the council election, Chinedu said the court action would not stop the scheduled poll.

Sports journalist Afolabi Oni, popularly known as “Oni Guarantor,” has criticised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over its handling of the visa difficulties that prevented Falconets captain Joy Igbokwe and some other key players from travelling for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

Sports247 gathered, Oni described the situation as disappointing and argued that the football authorities should have exhausted every legitimate avenue to help the affected players resolve their visa challenges.

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“Nigeria Football Federation must be ashamed of themselves,” Oni said, expressing particular concern over Igbokwe’s absence from the tournament.

According to the journalist, Igbokwe’s importance extended beyond her role as captain. He noted that the young midfielder had emerged as a leading voice within the team and played an important role in Nigeria’s qualification campaign.

Oni argued that missing the World Cup could have significant consequences for Igbokwe’s career, particularly at a stage when exposure at a global tournament could have attracted interest from European clubs, professional opportunities and potential sponsorships.

He questioned why the NFF did not explore additional diplomatic and football channels, including engaging the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and seeking dialogue with Polish authorities.

He also suggested that the federation could have approached FIFA to determine whether there was any possibility of allowing players affected by visa denials another opportunity to participate.

Instead, Oni said, the affected players were replaced and the situation appeared to move on without sufficient institutional intervention.

For him, however, the issue goes beyond Igbokwe and the other players who missed the tournament.

“What message is the NFF sending to the next generation of Nigerian players?” he asked.

Oni warned that if young footballers believe their sacrifices for the national team can be easily overlooked when administrative challenges threaten their careers, it could gradually affect their trust, motivation and commitment to representing Nigeria.

He stressed that a World Cup can be a life-changing opportunity for young players, potentially opening doors to professional contracts, trials, scholarships, sponsorships and international recognition.

“Igbokwe and the other affected players deserved more than simply being replaced,” he said. “They deserved to know that the people entrusted with Nigerian football were willing to fight for them.”

Oni urged the NFF to recognise that protecting players is part of protecting the future of Nigeria’s national teams.

“Sometimes, protecting the player is also protecting the future of the national team,” he concluded.