VOTING has officially commenced across several polling units in Anambra State, with the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) receiving priority as accreditation and balloting begin.
At Polling Units 016 and 017, located in Iba Okpunoeze Hall 2, Uruago Ward 1, Nnewi North Local Government Area, presiding officers began accreditation and voting at around 9:22 a.m.
Police officers were present to maintain order, while elderly voters were provided with plastic chairs to sit comfortably as they exercised their franchise.
As at the time of filing this report, The ICIR confirmed that the BVAS devices were functioning smoothly and that voting was progressing without any disruption.
Similarly, at Omaigwe Central School, Ward 2, Osumenyi, Nnewi South Local Government Area, voting was already underway by 9:20 a.m. across Polling Units 017, 018, and 019, with election materials properly deployed and voters participating peacefully.
In Aguata Local Government Area, Julius Nwafor, a 74-year-old visually impaired man, cast his vote at 8:47 a.m. in Ward 13, Polling Unit 002, Ofili Square, Isuofia, assisted by his daughter, Ifeoma Nwafor.
He expressed optimism about the election being eventually adjudged to be very credible.
He also urged the incoming administration to prioritise the welfare and healthcare of senior citizens and persons living with disabilities.
“I believe in the unity of Nigeria and would want a hitch-free election devoid of any violence,” Nwafor told The ICIR after voting.
Although he is from the same town with Governor Charles Soludo, he noted that he would welcome the outcome of the election once it’s free and fair and devoid of criss.
“I believe in the unity of Nigeria and would want a hitch-free elections devoid of any electoral violence,” he said.
The ICIR reports that Nwafor was assisted to cast his vote by his daughter, Ifeoma Nwafor.
Presiding officers across the observed polling units confirmed that special consideration was being given to vulnerable groups, in line with INEC’s inclusion policy, which mandates priority voting for the elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.
The ongoing exercise has so far been peaceful, with no reports of BVAS failure or security breaches across the monitored areas in Nnewi North, Nnewi South, and Aguata LGAs.
According to the INEC data, 2,802,790 registered voters across 21 Local Government Areas, 326 political wards, and 5,718 polling units are expected to participate in the exercise.
The INEC data further shows that over 1.7 million voters collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), while more than 7,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) were deployed for the election.
The ICIR reported that the electoral body had cleared 16 candidates from various political parties to vie for the highest political office in the state, including the incumbent Governor Charles Soludo All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Ukachukwu Nicholas, All Progressives Congress (APC), Ezenwafor Jude, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), and Moghalu Nnadubem, Labour Party (LP).
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M