It is November 6, 2021. It is Election Day in Anambra State, Nigeria’s Southeast and Newsonline Nigeria team are on ground to bring you all the live updates and happenings.
This online newspaper understands that there are 2.5 million registered voters and 18 political parties for the election which is obviously going to test the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s readiness to conduct a hitch-free, fair and credible general elections across Nigeria in 2023.
Anambra, with over 4 million population, consists of 21 local government areas. There are 5,720 Polling Units (PUs) across the state.
However, there would be no voting in 86 PUs because there are no voters there, according to INEC.
The commission is conducting the election after recovering from a series of violent attacks on its facilities in the South-east.
The attacks have been linked to the outlawed pro-Biafra group, IPOB, whose initial sit-at-home order threatened the conduct of the Anambra election.
The three leading candidates for the election are Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
At 9:00 am, INEC officials and Security yet to arrive at former Gov Peter Obi voting centre PUs 019. Ward 2, Neni, Anaocha LGA.
Voters present are complaining, saying they are ready to vote but election officials on ground.
At 9:00 am, INEC officials and Security yet to arrive at former Gov Peter Obi voting centre PUs 019. Ward 2, Neni, Anaocha LGA.
Voters present are complaining, saying they are ready to vote but election officials are not on ground.
Former Governor, Peter Obi Village town hall.
The people of Anambra State will on Saturday, November 6, 2021, decide who takes charge of the affairs of the state for the next four years.
All things being equal, the election will go on despite serious security threats in the South East, especially Anambra State.
Some of the notable political parties set to participate in the governorship election include: A, AA, ADC, APC, APGA
APM, PDP, SDP, YPP and ZLP.
However, the major contenders for the Anambra Government House are the All Progressives Congress, with a sitting Senator, Andy Uba as its flag-bearer. The All Progressives Grand Alliance, the incumbent party, has a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Prof. Charles Soludo as its candidate while the national main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has a young and vibrant candidate in the person of Valentine Ozigbo.
This is not to undermine the strengths of Godwin Maduka, candidate of A; Ben Etiaba of the AA; Akachukwu Nwankpo of the ADC; Onyejegbu Okwudili representing the APM; Obinna Uzoh of SDP, Ifeanyi Ubah of the YPP and Obiora Okonkwo, candidate of the ZLP.
There is, however, a serious concern about election apathy majorly because of the recent sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and the heavy presence of the police and military, and other security agencies in the state.
However, NEWSONLINE NIGERIA will bring you all the results, events and incidents as they happen before, during and after the election live from Anambra State.
2:02pm
PU OO1 – DMGS I
INLAND TOWN I
ONITSHA NORTH
Voting is still ongoing. However, there was a brief heat up between officials and voters over the 2pm schedule for closing of polls.
The PO announced that they would extend voting period till 3pm.
Time: 1:53pm
LG: Anaocha
Polling Unit: 010, Adazi Enu II, Ihudumanuhu Hall I
The voting is still ongoing here, the card reader denied the thumbprint of a man who identified himself as Patrick for more than 5 times. The president said he’s an agent and he had been denied Access more than 20 times by the Card Reader.
1:51pm
Nteje 1, Central primary school, Nteje , Oyi Lga
Number of registered voters- 19
Number of voters who came out to vote- 5
Number of people who voted – 2
The PO complained that 3 people were unable to vote Because the device couldn’t detect them. He also said the low turnout was also as a result of the late collection of pvc.
At 1:52 PU 001 WARD 15 Umuoba Anambra East. Total Reg voters: 770.
The P.O. Chiamaka Nwosu said voting started late at about 1 pm.
She blamed the delay on bad network from the BVAS machine.
INEC will address a press conference at 2pm to speak on the issue of massive failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the ongoing election. According to INEC chairman’s spokesperson, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the event will hold at INEC office, Awka, the state capital.
Time: 1:42 pm.
Polling Unit: 008, Ichekeoku Kindergarten ii.
Ward: Abagana 2
LGA: Njikoka
Observation: Election on hold as some voters have cast their votes. However, Obla Cletus, the Presiding officers stated that the turnout was very low.
TIME: 1:24pm
PU: PU 008, Obu Uzoegboka Square
Ward: Umueze I
LG: Orumba South
OBSERVATION: The BVAs have made things slow, according to the PO who said only two persons have successfully voted here. No covid-19 protocol observed. Only the ad hoc staff are on nose masks.
TIME: 1:34pm
PU: 006 Egbegwu Primary School I
WARD: Nteje III
LGA: Oyi
OBSERVATION:
Voting has commenced at this polling unit which has 829 registered voters. The voters are, however, lamenting that the queue is not moving because some people are not adhering to instructions. Security officers are on ground trying to ensure orderliness.
PU: 012 and 013 Woliwo Community Office II and III
WARD: Fegge VII
LGA: ONITSHA SOUTH
OBSERVATION: Turn out is encouraging according to POs; there were technical issues with BVAS initially but they are now resolved and the exercise is going on smoothly.
This young man running off sold his vote to pdp in that same pu
In this same Pu, this man was seen giving money to voter’s. The man on glasses, I was unable to identify his party cause his tag was taken off
Umunebo primary school 1, Pu 002, Nteje 3
601 voters on the list pasted
At of now, just 57 people have been accredited and casted thier votes. The PO and Asst. PO complained of the machine malfunction, which resulted to delay. Accreditation and voting here started 9:40 am. We have 3 police officers and one nscdc officer here. Few voters are seen sitting around.
Vote buying is massive in this PU. Apga, PDP, ypp, are seen competing for votes, influencing voters decision and giving them different amount of money
It’s also obvious that security officers have been bought.
#AnambraDecides2021: INEC BVAS a complete failure – Soludo
——————————————
The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Charles Soludo, has described the INEC Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) as a complete failure.
Mr Soludo, like other governorship candidates earlier reported by PREMIUM TIMES, was greeted with disappointment when he arrived at his polling unit in PU Isuofia, Aguata LGA to cast his vote on Saturday afternoon.
Since the opening of the poll at 002, Ward, Ofiyi Square, where the former CBN boss was to cast his vote, the BVAS has been epileptic and inconsistent, thereby contributing to the growing concerns of the waiting electorates.
Mr Soludo arrived at his PU at exactly 12:12pm but was unable to cast his vote after 20 minutes of frantic efforts by the electoral body’s technician to restore the system to enable the electorates, many who are already growing tired, to exercise their franchise.
“The fundamental thing is that the technology collapsed. This BVAS technology of a thing is a complete failure. If it could still be rectified, that would be in minutes or hours to come and by 12:30 voting is yet to start in many polling units,” the APGA candidate told journalists.
“With the crowd that you can find here, hundreds of people here, you don’t need to be a mathematician to know that even if the machine starts working now, the machine won’t be ready in 15, 20 minutes. Even if it takes a minute to accredit each person here, you are not going to finish this in record time.”
He said the challenges raise fundamental questions about the technology and further tabled his displeasure at the system.
“This is all over the state. I got calls from virtually all the local government areas and the story is the same,” he said.
As at the time of filing this report, Mr Soludo has left the polling unit while his aides were seen hanging around, perhaps to possibly keep tabs on the situation and notify him when the system is rectified.
12:40pm
PU 008 and 009 – 69, Akunnia Njote II, Fegge VII
Voters, election officials and security officials are all on ground. However, there’s no successful accreditation since their arrival due to the faulty operation of the BVAS
12: 22pm
PU 033, Ebiliekwe Junction 11
Fegge7. The PO Cosmos said no voter has showed up since they set up their stand at 8:50am
No of registered voters 3
PU 0036Akunnia Njote Fegge 7, Onitsha South.
The PO Ogechukwu Mba said none of the four registered voters have shown up since she came at 8:30
TIME:12:44
PU: 010 Social center
WARD: Amesi 005
LGA: AGUATA
OBSERVATION: None of the voters, neither INEC adhoc staff are keeping to the COVID19 rules. It is the same situation in all the Wards I have visited in Aguata LGA.
TIME: 12:40 pm
PU: PU 12, 13 & 14, Uruagu Primary School
WARD: Umunze II
LGA: Orumba South
OBSERVATION: The BVAs has been giving the ad hoc staff issues. PU 13 started the accreditation 11:10am, PU 14 couldn’t state the time they started.
An APC member is seen sharing a can of malt to voters. The pack is manned by the security personnel’s deployed to Uruagu Primary School.
PU 12 is disorderly and uncoordinated. That can be credited to the malfunctioning BVAs.
TIME: 12:43pm
PU: 003 Umunebo Primary School II
WARD: Nteje III
LGA: Oyi
OBSERVATION:
Voting had already commenced here. Out of the 671 registered voters, it was garnered that many of them have casted their votes. The BVAS is working smoothly, it fails to accredit some voters though.
There is zero adherence to Covid-19 protocols as the queue is congested
TIME:12: 30pm
PU: 010 Social center
WARD: Amesi 005
LGA: Aguata LGA
OBSERVATION: The young man on black with red collar whispered to the APO II to do something for him and the APO II confirmed. However, the APO II have been directing voters on where to place their fingers because the voters have no education on voting process.
12:10p.m. Failure of Card readers, BVAs unsettle voters as many are unable to vote yet in Polling unit 003 and 004, Uruekwo primary school in Enugu-ukwu, Njikoka LGA.
10:09am
Urban Girls Sec. Schl. II, PU 012, Fegge V, Onitsha South LG.
Accreditation has started already as officials and security personnels are seen on ground.
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is deployed and is being used smoothly for voters accreditation.
Time : 10: 05am
LG: Anaocha
PU: 001, Ezi Neni Village Hall I
The voting has commenced. The environment us relatively calm and there’s no long queue.
The Anambra State deputy governor, Nkem Okeke, at about 10:10a.m. on Saturday cast his vote at the Ward 3, polling unit 4 of Enugu-ukwu town, Anambra Central local government.
10:47 am.
Polling unit 13, Abunagu Square, Abagana Ward 2, Njikoku LGA.
The accreditation commenced around 10 am. However, only about 10 voters have been able to cast their votes. The BVAs are malfunctioning.
Speaking with one of the voters, Friday(didn’t disclose surname) he explained that he has been here since 10 am.
The Presiding officer told everyone to queue again and exercise patience.
10:40am:
PU010 Social center, Amesi , Aguata LGA
PDP camd3, Valentine Ozigbo arrives his polling unit..
#AnambraDecides
10:42am: PU23 and PU24, Former Magistrate and High Court Premises, Ufuma Ward 19, Orumba North LGA
Officials just arrived and are setting up the polling units.
One of the Polling Officers, Mr Austin attributes the delay to the long wait for security agents who were supposed to escort them to the polling unit from the INEC office.
10:43 am, PU 24, New Town Hall Agwu Agbada, Orumba South LG
The new technology, BVAS, has failed the ad hoc staff on ground.
“INEC BVAS has stopped” is displayed on the screen as seen.
Election will end by 2:30pm and no one has been accredited at this PU.
10:45am
PU08 & 09, Odokwe Village Square I & II, Nteje 1, Oyi LG.
Security officers are just arriving at the polling units when accreditation and voting is about to start already
10:39 a.m., Aguata LGA: At Ward 1, PU 015, polling unit of APC candidate, Andy Uba, accreditation has commenced and queues are formed for the commencement of voting. There was no presence of security operatives.
At 10:34 a.m PU 005 WARD 11 Otuocha 1, Eri Primary School 2 Anambra East LGA
The Presiding officer, Abong Mathews told PREMIUM TIMES that voting started 8:30 a.m.
Also complained bitterly about the malfunction of the Biomodal Voters Authentication System (BVAS) machine.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that as at 10:37 nobody at the polling unit has been accredited.
“The BVAS machine has been a major issue, he said.
“The machine cannot authorise finger prints and facial recognition, she said.
There are 756 total registered voters at the unit
9:04 am at PU 008, Ward 12 Otuocha 11, Umulere Town Hall Anambra East LGA.
The Presiding officer, Nnena Vivian told PREMIUM TIMES that voting started 8:30 a.m. she complained about the malfunction of the Biomodal Voters Authentication System (BVAS) machine
She said they have been able to accredit only two voters since they commenced voting, adding that the issue is slowing down the process.
“The BVAS machine cannot authorise finger prints and facial recognition, she said.
The BVAS can be described as a system that will combine fingerprint and face biometrics for the identity verification of voters. It will replace the Smart Card Readers machine.
There are 460 total registered voters at the unit
11:30 am.
Ogbuaraba Square i and ii, polling units 9 and 10, Abagana ward 2, Njikoka LGA.
Same issues of BVAs malfunctioning. The Presiding officer here is the only one working, according to her, her colleague has gone to other polling units to ‘teach’ the officers there. Voters are lamenting heavily.
The accreditation commenced at 9 am.
PU 001 and 002, Housing Estate Bridge Head 1, Onitsha South
Voting has commenced in both polling units but the PO 001 Miracle Udeh said the BVAS is malfunctioning and it’s delaying the voting process, she asked we assist by reporting so to know if an alternative will be sent. While PO 002 said the process is fair.
PU010 Social center, Amesi , Aguata LGA
PDP candidate Valentine Ozigbo have casted his vote. After several times of the BVA machine malfunctioning.
#AnambraDecides
PU03, Primary School, Ufuma Ward II, Orumba North LGA
Accreditation/voting is ongoing; the process is said to have started at 8:15am.
There is a shortage of staff at the polling unit. Only one INEC official, Miss Amarachi, is present and coordinating the voting process at the polling unit.
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has failed to capture many of the voters, despite the techniques deployed to assist capturing, including asking voters to “smile”.
11:18 am, PU 006, Isingwu Primary School, Umunze, Orumba South LG
There is no BVAS machine here.
No accreditation.
11:18 am, PU 006, Isingwu Primary School, Umunze, Orumba South LG
There is no BVAS machine here.
No accreditation.
11:02am: Ufuma I and II Registration Area Centre (RAC), Primary School Ufuma, Orumba North LGA
Some INEC officials are yet to leave the RAC to their respective Polling Units.
11:02 am, PU OO9, Nkwu Market Square, Umunze, Orunmba, South LG
Voters are left stranded as the BVAS failed to function.
The Presiding Officer has headed to INEC to solve the issue.
According to report, a voter followed the PO to test the BVAS at the office.
The technical officer also has not arrived yet.
The accreditation process commenced at 9:30am, while only two people have been able to cast their votes.
11:07am
PU 09, Odokwe Village Square II, Nteje 1, Oyi LG.
Accreditation and voting commenced at 11am and is said to end at 2:30pm. The Biomodal Voters Accreditation System is being smoothly used to accredit the voters. There are 436 registered voters.
There is no compliance with Covid-19 protocols by the INEC officials, security officers and even the electorates.
10:59am
PU 019 – Urban Boys Secondary School, Fegge III, Onitsha South LG.
Officials are around but none of the 11 registered voters in the PU has shown up to cast their votes.
Since voters’ accreditation is yet to commence, we couldn’t investigate the effectiveness of BVAS.
10:55am
PU 011
70 Port Harcourt Road, Fegge 111
Onitsha South
Election officials are setting up stands. Security officials are complaining about the sun, they say there is no shade to cover them.
10:54am
Malfunctioning BVAs back on track at PU 002, Ward, Ofiyi Square, Isuofia, Aguata LGA (Charles Soludo of APGA) after hours of delay.
Voting in progress.
10:54am.. PU 010 social center, Amesi, Aguata LGA.. PDP Candidate still trying to get accredited. The machine rejected his fingerprint. There is no network on the machine..
10:52am P.U 003(ogbiti oti) ward1,Ajalli 1,Orumba North,Anambra south L/G. Voting exercise is ongoing.
Follow this thread until the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC announces the winner of the election.
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