Earlier on Saturday 6th November of the very much expected and planned Anambra election, voters across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Anambra State, headed to the designated polling units to elect their next governor.
News Echo correspondent who monitored and took part in a non-partisan observing electoral process across 12 LGAs in the state reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) promised of conducting a credible and fair election was marred by the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (B-VAS) failure, although some areas recorded compliance in the technology driven election.
The election however didn’t take off as scheduled in many polling stations due to late arrival of electoral officers, election materials, low performance of the machine, fear of being attacked among others.
The election also witnessed low turnout of voters a development which may not be unconnected with security breaches witnessed in the state few days to the election.
Security Situation
Despite threats by non-state armed groups and concerns over the heavy deployment of security agents, very few incidents of intimidation and violence have been reported defying the context of fear and uncertainty that preceded election day.
Despite the heavy deployment of state security agents, observers have noted a surprisingly scanty presence of security personnel in numerous reports from across the state. Where security agents have been present, reports indicated that they have largely respected rules of engagement and acted with professionalism. This is highly commendable and we hope that this mode of engagement with voters is sustained till the end of the electoral process in other elections. Likewise, the withdrawal of the sit at home order pronounced by IPOB has contributed to the opening of the polls and the relatively peaceful atmosphere that was witnessed.
Nkemdili Okeke, YPP party agent at Onitsha north, ward 1, said “We noted that as the hours progressed, more voters began to show up at the polls, as information spread that accreditation and voting were proceeding largely peacefully. However, we noted that the worrying security context ahead of the polls sustained a heightened level of uncertainty among many voters, and exacerbated voter-apathy”.
INEC Logistics
Reports from CDD’s observers indicated widespread delays in the commencement of accreditation and voting as a result of late arrival of poll officials. For instance, at 9:55am, CDD observers reported that INEC officials had not arrived at Otolo Ward 2, Nnewi North LGA. Likewise, in Ihiala LGA, observer reports indicated that INEC officials and electoral materials had not arrived at 1pm. The lateness of officials in commencing accreditation and polling has left many voters frustrated, necessitating INEC’s extension of the voting period till 4pm. This likely contributed to the late closing of the polls and the delayed announcement of the election results.
Malfunctioning BVAS
One repeated occurrence that threatened to mar the quality of the election outcome has been the widely reported failure of the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) across numerous polling units in the state. In several instances, the BVAS failed to recognize voters’ faces and fingerprints, and those affected were asked to wait until the challenge was resolved. CDD’s EAC observers also reported malfunctioning of the BVAS in Ayamelum LGA with three polling units affected.
The wider security atmosphere leading up to the polls has likely impacted INEC’s preparedness, particularly its capacity to train Ad-Hoc staff on the use of the BIVAS technology. In some polling units, INEC officials resorted to the manual methods of accreditation and voting. This was observed in Awka South, Akwa North, Idemili North, Idemili South, and Anambra West. CDD observers further reported that in cases where the BIVAS worked, its pace was frequently slow, leading to longer wait times than necessary for voters. In several reported cases, frustrated voters were forced to return home without casting their votes. The resort to manual voting generated uncertainties about the validity of votes cast.
Low turnout of voters
As expected, CDD observers recorded a low turnout of voters across the state. This reflected the climate of uncertainty leading up to the election, as well as the historically high levels of voter apathy that have been recorded in the state. The heightened voter apathy will likely be accentuated in several polling units as news spreads about the disruptions caused by the malfunctioning of the BIVAS.
Conduct of security
Although there have been pockets of reports indicating the absence or low presence of security officials, there have been no widespread reports of misconduct by security officials deployed for the elections. This is a noteworthy development considering that the expectation of intimidation and abuse from state security officials was a source of concern ahead of the elections. We commend security agencies for the high level of professionalism they have so far shown, and once again urge them to sustain this humane approach to election security through the voting, collation, and announcement of results
Vote buying
We also noted widespread incidents of vote-buying that will likely negatively impact the credibility of the election result. CDD observers reported numerous not-so-discreet cases of “see-and-buy” in polling units across the 21 LGAs of the state. In many reported cases, police officers have been alleged to have looked the other way, likely as a result of having themselves being compromised. This practice, which appeared to cut across party lines, has been an increasing feature of Nigerian elections and requires more concerted remedial efforts by INEC and other critical stakeholders.
Contributing, Director of Research Centre for Democracy and Development, during the press statement on Anambra election Analysis Centre (EAC), in Abuja, on Saturday, said “Despite concerns over the heavy deployment of security agents, very few incidents of intimidation and violence have been reported defying the context of fear and uncertainty that preceded election day”.
“Security agents were frequently absent at the commencement of accreditation in several polling units, which likely heightened uncertainty among voters and officials.
He added that there were persistent incidents of the failure of the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) across numerous polling units, which have impaired the smooth conduct of the elections, and will likely disenfranchise some intended voters.
Furthermore, “The lateness of INEC officials in commencing accreditation and polling has left many voters frustrated, leading to voters Apathy in areas like Anoacha, Njikako, Ogbaru local government area as at 10am necessitating INEC’s extension of the voting period till 6pm against INEC stipulated date of 2pm.
Former vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi while speaking with journalists after voting in his polling unit at Agulu ward 1, Anaocha LGA, said there was some delay relating to the late arrival of voting materials and malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in some parts of the state.
“I have been here since morning waiting for this process to commence. It took quite a while for the process to start, but I must say that now that they have started, it went well,” he said.
“But I have been getting calls all over the state. For most communities, it is the issue of non-arrival of all voting materials across the state.
“I got calls that machines are not working and of course, here it was delayed for a long time which shouldn’t be. There should be improvements in all these but you can see that there is no much improvement.
People’s Democratic Party candidate, Val Ozigbo, however, expressed worry over the poor internet connectivity experienced by voters in Anambra state as Independent National Electoral Commission deploys Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System
He said that it took him over twenty minutes to cast his vote and wondered what other voters would experience in various parts of the State.
He further decried late arrival of materials in some parts of the state and urged INEC officials to ensure materials get to those areas to avoid disenfranchising voters.
Another candidate, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Sen. Andy Uba while commenting on the large turnout of voters in his area said that he was able to assure the voters that nothing would happen to them.
In the same vein, the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA candidate, Prof. Charles Soludo at his Isuofia polling unit expressed concern that old men and women who arrived the venue as early as 7.00am could not vote due to late arrival of materials as well non functional machines.
Also, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige could not vote in Alor because of malfunctioning BVAS machine.
Meanwhile, following the ugly trend, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law in a statement signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi and Barr Chidimma Udegbunam has called for the immediate sack of Mr. Chidi Nwafor, INEC’s National Director of ICT for allegedly colluding with principal national network providers to engage in high tech rigging of the Anambra governorship election through perpetration of mass failure and mal-functioning of Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System machines in many, if not most of the polling centers across the State.
The BVAS’s mass failure or malfunctioning of same according to the group has rigged out over 70% of the courageous voters that had come out to be electronically captured to vote.
Sir Victor Imeh who spoke to our correspondent at his hometown, Aguluezigbo ward 1, lamented over the power turn out of the machine. According to him, most of the elders who came to vote could not and got tired of waiting before they left”.
Member representing Njikaoka/Aniocha Federal Constituency, Hon. Dozie Nwankwo lamenting, said “I am totally dissatisfied , what I am seeing here is a little bit of sabotage, I am not impressed, because no machine is working. And I am quite surprised that INEC is not prepared, all they are telling us is not true. Everything is here but the machines are faulty”.
Contradicting, a retired civil servant who voted at Ward 1, polling unit 011, Urualor village Enugu Ukwu, Comr ABC Ubani (JP), said he is confident of a successful outcome, because people turned out en-masse to vote and had themselves conducted in a peaceful manner.
“I have gone round almost all the polling unit, no problem, there were minor issues with the machine but it has been rectified, he added.
