Voting in parts of Onitsha, Anambra State, got off to a shaky start on Saturday following technical glitches with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines.
At Polling Unit 001 in Fegge, accreditation had yet to begin nearly three hours after the official commencement of voting, leaving several voters stranded under the morning sun. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were seen attempting to restart the device before eventually requesting a replacement.
Some voters expressed frustration over the delay, noting that the fault might discourage others who had planned to vote early. “We have been here since 8 am and nothing has started. They said the BVAS is not working,” one resident told reporters.
The malfunction in Fegge came even as voting had already commenced in several other polling units across the state, where voters were being accredited without major hitches.
Over 2.8 Million Registered Voters
According to INEC, a total of 2,802,790 registered voters are expected to participate in the election across 5,718 polling units spread across Anambra’s 21 local government areas.
The exercise, which covers the state’s three senatorial districts, will decide who governs Anambra for the next four years. INEC officials said sensitive materials were deployed on Friday evening and arrived early in most locations. Reports from Awka South, Idemili North, and Oyi indicated that voting began as scheduled in those areas.
Despite the early success in some polling units, the situation in parts of Onitsha has drawn attention due to the city’s high voter population. Security operatives, including police officers and civil defence personnel, were stationed around Fegge to maintain order as the faulty BVAS was being replaced.
Voting Begins Peacefully As Anambra Residents Elect New Governor
Sixteen Candidates Battle For Top Seat
The Anambra governorship race has attracted sixteen candidates across major and smaller political parties. Among the leading contenders are Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Election observers say the process so far appears largely peaceful, though reports of minor logistical issues such as late arrival of materials and equipment faults have been recorded in a few areas.
As voting continues, civil society groups have urged INEC to ensure technical hitches are promptly addressed to avoid disenfranchising voters. The commission has yet to issue an official statement on the malfunction in Onitsha but is expected to provide an update later in the day.
Discover more from RainSMediaRadio
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
