Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra on Wednesday has accredited 60 observer groups to monitor the 2019 General Elections in the state, the commission has this in its report.

Mr Uchekachukwu Ibe, the Head of Department, Election Party and Monitoring, INEC, made the disclosure in Awka during a briefing of accredited observers and political party agents in Anambra.

He said that a total number of 3,156 observers would be working under the 60 accredited observers to monitor the elections in the state.

Ibe said that the observers were expected to perform their monitoring roles in compliance with the electoral rules that regulated their operations.

Observers or monitors are expected to quietly observe or monitor the electoral process and report any misgiving to INEC officer on ground or security agents.

It is the duty of the INEC official only to communicate such observation to the proper quarter for action on any reports received during or after the elections.

No other body is empowered to do so, the INEC official said.

He said that observers or party agents were forbidden to take action by acting in fanatical manner during their electoral monitoring.

Ibe said that nobody was allowed to announce the result but could put down whatever votes announced by the presiding officers at the polling units and then wait for the announcement of results from appropriate body.

The INEC official said that distribution of election tags to observers and party agents would be made available from 9am on Feb. 14 and urged all involved to be available for collection.

Mr Charles Mbanaja, the Administrative Secretary of INEC in Anambra, said that the electoral umpire was fully ready to conduct free fair and transparent elections on Feb. 16 and March 2 and urging the stakeholders to abide by the rules.