Reports from journalists and civil society groups monitoring the ongoing Anambra governorship election indicate that smart card readers deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are malfunctioning in several polling centres.
The election observers also report that many political parties offered money and food to voters in exchange for votes.
Also, Willie Obiano, the current Governor of Anambra State, who is running for a second term in office, was said to have addressed voters after he had cast his vote, an action which is tantamount to campaigning.
The electoral act stipulates that all forms of campaign must stop 24 hours to the day of voting.
Abiola Akiyode, a member of the Transition Monitoring Group, witnessed the incident and described it thus: “The most worrisome aspect (of this election) is that the governor came with a microphone to address the people.
“I think it is a sort of campaign. Since I have been observing, I have never seen any governor go to that extent to talk to people on election day.
“I think he should have avoided the temptation even if people are pushing him to do something”, she said.
“What he spoke about is a sort of campaign, saying that at the end of the day he would have cause to be happy. I think these are not things one should expect on election day.”
It was also reported that the card reader could not read Obiano’s fingerprints but it authenticated his voter card, so he had to resort to manual accreditation.
Also, many polling unit, including the one at Central School Onosi, Idemili North LGA, which is the polling unit of Osita Chidoka, one of the contestants in the election, electoral materials arrived late.
“I hope the late arrival would be taken into account in considering when the election would end,” Chidoka told Premium Times.
“We are also awaiting reports from our situation room to find out if the same thing was experienced across the state.”
At St Lous Catholic Church, Uruagu which also serves as Uruagu Ward 2, INEC officials arrived at 10.30 am, more than two hours late. Accreditation was supposed to kick off by 8 am.
CARD READER MALFUNCTIONING
8.50 am: Card reader not working at Bishop Patterson Junior Seminary Mbosi Ward 20, Polling unit 004. Incidence form is being used.
10.11 am: Ward 015, Ihiala, some voters are threatening to beat up ad-hoc staff, pressurising them to use manual method as the card reader is faulty.
10.30 am, voting had commenced at Ily Abito square unit 001, Nsugbe, but Card reader not detecting finger prints or voters cards of some people.
11.08 am: At Okija Ward 2, PU 009, Umuohi Community Primary School, Okija, the Card Reader is experiencing difficulty reading some finger prints. The INEC Ad-hoc staff provided toilet tissue for people to clean their thumbs.
11:49 Card reader is not working polling unit 003 St Peters Ogidi.
MONEY FOR VOTES
This poster is freshly pasted around this unit. A voter said it is to reiterate their stand and that so far the money has been good, but he refused to state how much he was given.
Another voter is seen showing a man his hand and insisting he has voted for APC.
In Ihiala, it was vote and write your name in order to collect money from APC and APGA. APGA is N2000, APC is N2500.
At Amaudo/Umeze Primary School 1 in Isseke, Ihiala LGA, both PDP and APGA candidates were seen ‘hustling’ for voters.
The PDP agent say he has been paying with his money to match APGA’s N3000 per vote.
At Umedim ward 1 in Otolo, Nnewi, people queue up to collect money from APGA after voting, same for APC.
At CPS Odekpe, ward 5, Ogbaru LGA, party agents believed to be working for the PDP were seen sharing N2,000 each to voters.
COOKED RICE FOR VOTES
The reporters on ground termed the situation at Illo Abito Square in Nsugbe as “Stomach Infrastructure”, as APC agents were seen encouraging people to vote by sharing plates of cooked rice.