Anambra Decides 2021: Live Updates of Governorship Election as Soludo, Uba, Ozigbo, Others Battle for Votes

Soludo Finally Votes After Waiting For Over Five Hours

Charles Soludo, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)'s candidate in the 2021 Anambra governorship election, has finally cast his ballot after much delay due to the malfunction of the Bimodal Verification Device.

Channels TV reports that before Soludo finally voted at polling unit 002, Isuofia ward, the accreditation process had been slow.

Voting still ongoing in PU 008, Ezinifite Okpuno Village Hall, Awka South LGA

Fight breaks out among electorates over who to be attended to first as INEC officials flee their desks over fear of violence.

Over 2,500 voters yet to cast votes at PU 008, Ezinifite Okpuno Village Hall, Awka South LGA

At PU 008, Ezinifite Okpuno Village Hall, Awka South LGA, over 2,500 voters yet to cast their votes as at 3:41 pm.

Out of 3,072 registered voters, only about 150 persons have been able to vote.

Police officers begin thorough search of all vehicles in Awka

Police officers begin thorough search of all vehicles in Awka as counting of votes begins in various polling units.

After counting of votes at PU: 014 Ebe Iru Offia Square IV Okpuno Result:

After counting of votes at PU: 014 Ebe Iru Offia Square IV Okpuno Result:

Invalid: 6

APC: 19

PDP: 33

APGA: 29

YPP: 4

LP: 1

Counting of votes begins!

Counting has commenced at Amawbia Ward 1, Polling Unit 10

Time: 2:59pm

BREAKING: INEC Announces Extension of Voting Time amid BVAS Glitch

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra says voting will be extended to 4pm due to the malfunction of the BVAS in several polling units across the state

The REC, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, is currently briefing the media at the INEC state headquarters in Awka

He says there is also a possibility of the election continuing tomorrow.

He admitted that the BVAS did not work in several polling units across the state, therefore, slowing down the accreditation and voting process.

Amawbia Ward 1, Polling Unit 1

Electorates still hustling to vote at Amawbia Ward 1, Polling Unit 1 as at 2:38pm.

PU003, Ugwunadegbe Primary School, Aguleri 1, Anambra East LGA

Many people are yet to vote. However, INEC ad-hoc staff and security personnel are insisting that the voting process will stop any moment from now.

PU10, Ward 3, Amawbia South LG.

Voting is in progress, and so is vote-buying according to The Cable.

The agents of one of the contesting parties are reportedly sharing N1000 and N500 to some voters while three police officers were also given N1000 each.

PU 09 and 011, Ward 1, Adazi, Anaocha LGA.

Paulinus Onyekelu, the APC ward chairman, has appealed to voters to be patient despite the slow pace of the exercise.

He said:

"When people have been here since morning and are unable to vote, what can they do than to go home.

"We are prevailing on them to exercise patience a little so that they can vote, but the new voting machines are not helping issues."

NYSC DG, Brigadier Shuaibu Ibrahim visits some polling units

NYSC DG, Brigadier Shuaibu Ibrahim visits some polling units in Awka south, Anambra State during the governorship election.

Major roads in Awka still deserted

Major roads in Awka still deserted as Anambra residents stay indoors as voting process continues.

PU 001 and PU 012 Afor Okpuno, Awka South

Polling Unit almost empty. Less than 20 out of over 800 registered voters have voted as at 12:21 pm.

PU 14 Ebe Iru Offia Square, Okpuno

PU 14 Ebe Iru Offia Square, Okpuno: Only one person has shown up and voted.

Maduka speaks

Accord Party's governorship candidate, Godwin Maduka, said there is some technical issues but the machine was fixed.

His words:

Every candidate signed the peace accord that there will be peace today and I thing it is working.

I am working things are going well, it might be slow.

From this turn out, I am already a winner.

Soludo finally arrives polling unit

APGA candidate Charles Soludo has arrived his polling unit to vote.

"It's almost 12.30 and we haven't started voting," Soludo said.

The APGA candidate said he will speak to the media again after casting his vote successfully.

At the moment, only nine people out of over 700 voters have voted.

Soludo speaks again:

People have been here waiting to vote, even before INEC officials' arrival.

BVAS technology complete failure.

Voting has not started in many places and in places where voting has started, it takes up to 20 minutes to accredit just one person.

"I am in shock and this is all over the state," he said.

We are still being optimistic that it will work.

For 20 minutes, the technician has been fiddling with the machine.

Secondly, there is inadequacy of INEC officials manning the polling units.

There is also a security issue. There is no police man here. And this is all over the state.

"I am a die-hard optimist," Soludo said, nevertheless.

People who have been waiting till 7.am have not voted at around 1pm, he said.

Soludo asked INEC to please fix the technology, saying it is not working.

The APGA candidate also talked about the voting time.

He asked.

"If we start voting by 1pm, when will voting stop?"

He said people trooped out to vote and hundreds of thousands would have voted if the machine works.

The APGA candidate summarised the issues he raised thus:

1. Technology
2. Deployment of technology
3. Inadequacy of INEC officials

Drunk police officer

A drunk Police Officer being led away from Amawbia Town Hall after electorates complained bitterly about his misbehaviour.

PU 008, Ezinifite Okpuno Village Hall, Awka South

Electorates worry, stranded, as accreditation and voting process take up to 15 minutes per person at, due to slow operation of machines.

Agu Awka; no voters

No voter checking their names in one of the wards in Agu Awka, signaling the huge number of registered voters but low turnout on election day.

PU 019, Ezinifite Okpuno Village Hall

PU 019, Ezinifite Okpuno Village Hall. Some accredited voters yet to vote as 11:11am due to network and machine failure.

APC candidate Andy Uba votes

The governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Andy Uba, has voted.

After voting, he said "this election is done already" and expressed confident that he will win.

"Everything is going well," he said.

"APGA is finished and is done, PDP is nowhere."

He said voters are enthusiastic and are ready to vote APGA out.

BVAS malfuntion

Malfunction of BVAS at PU 010, Enugu-Agidi, Ward 08, Njikoka LGA.

At Soludo's polling unit

The machine works a little but stops again. Out of 717 voters, only nine people have been able to vote.

Voting commences amid tight security in Awka, environs

Voting exercise has commenced in most parts of Awka, the Anambra state capital with the heavy presence of security personnel in the area.

Security officials have also commenced checks on every person and vehicle crossing in most parts of the state capital, asking them to show their voters' card before granting them passage.

A Legit.ng reporter who is roaming around the capital observed that the turnout for the election is however, still significantly low.

In one of the polling units in Okpuno Awka, less than hundred people were seen at the polling unit which has over a thousand registered voters.

The Traditional Ruler of Okpuno, Royal Highness Igwe S. I. Okafor (Igwe Ogene Okpuno) has, however, cast his vote.

The monarch urged the people to come out and exercise their franchise without fear.

Ozigbo speaks

After voting, the candidate of the PDP, Valentine Ozigbo said he was impressed with the turnout of voters.

"I am actually impressed that Amezi community community came out in their numbers," he said.

Ozigbo complained about the delay in the voting process.

"I am worried that it took that long," he said.

The PDP candidate said there was a time network failed.

To ensure people are not denied their rights to vote, he appealed to the chairman of INEC to extend the voting time.

He appealed to INEC to ensure all the eligible voters to ensure people's votes count.

Ozigbo further asked the INEC chairman to reach out and check out where there are issues.

On security, he said there is abundance of security personnel which has helped to calm things down.

However, Ozigbo said he didn't want to use Amezi not to judge overall and will reach out to other areas to know what is going on there.

He also appealed to people to come out and cast their votes, noting that it is safe.

"This is our civic responsibility, let's come out and exercise it," he said.

Election observers speak

Election Observers, Watching The Vote, laments over late deployment of election officials, materials to polling units. In a message circulated to journalists in Awka, the observer group said only 17% of polling units had INEC officials present as at 7:30am.

70-year old man votes

Peter Akpati, a 70-year old man being accredited to vote in Aroma PU 009, Agu Awka Ward.

Peter Akpati, 70-year old voter told Legit.ng: People should come out to vote. No need to fear. There is a enough security. We need good governance in Anambra and this process will help us elect who we want.

PU 001, Ugundiuka 1, Otuocha 1, Anambra East LGA

BVAS is not functioning well as only seven voters have so far been accredited.

PU 009, Ward 1, Onitsha South

At 10:34am, the INEC official is just setting, while complaining of having no ad-hoc staff support.

In Amesi, PDP's Valentine Ozigbo ready to vote

In Amesi, the PDP's governorship candidate, Valentine Ozigbo, is ready to vote.

Security officials take over different polling units in Awka.

Security officials take over different polling units in Awka.

Awka South LGA

Voters have started trickling in, in several polling units in Awka South LGA.

Voting going on at Amaubia Wards 1 and 2.

Voting going on at Amaubia Wards 1 and 2.

Voting commences at Ezinifite village hall

Voting has commenced at Voting commences at Ward 19, Polling unit 008, Ezinifite village hall, Okpuno, Awka South LGA.

BVAS not working at Charles Soludo's PU

Voters are aggrieved. According to them, the electronic machine is working.

"Nothing is working here, this is my PVC", a voter told Arise News TV,.

BVAS devices experience glitch in Agulu-Awka

Two of the Bimodial Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) deployed for use at two polling units at Ward 5 of Umuogbu village, Awka, Anambra state, have been declared faulty.

The INEC adhoc staff at the polling units informed Legit.ng staff that the devices seem sensitive to light and wouldn't capture the electorates who are out in their number in Awka South LGA for today's governorship election.

"I don't know what's wrong with the devices but they suddenly became faulty," the adhoc staff said.

"It looks like they're sensitive to light and they've not been capturing people's faces.

"If you ask them to smile, they smile, but nothing changes. I don't know what to do, but I'll soon call the INEC Officials to report this." he added.

Meanwhile, some EFCC officials have been sighted at the polling units in Umuogbu village.

Their mission at the polling units could not be ascertained as at press time, they were seen in company of VIP security officers.

Voter apathy hits Anambra governorship election as residents stay indoors

Voters have largely stayed away from polling units in the ongoing Anambra governorship election so far.

In about seven polling units in different wards visited by a Legit.ng reporter in Awka South local government area, voters were not seen in the units as of 9:20am.

A NYSC Corps member serving as an adhoc official in one of the polling units in Aroma told Legit.ng:

''This is after 9 and we have not seen anyone so far. People are not coming out at all."

In some cases, some of the election officials and materials are yet to arrive.

Anambraians have largely stayed indoors in the days leading to the election due to the heightened insecurity in the state in recent times.

Despite assurances from security agencies, the people have remained indoors due to fear.

There is also heavy security presence in all the areas visited with armed policemen and soldiers stationed in strategic areas close to the polling units.

Isuofia, Aguata LGA

PU 002, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Voters have turned up and are waiting to be accredited. This is polling unit where Charles Soludo, the All Grand Progressives Alliance (APGA) candidate, is expected to vote.

An observer expresses concerns that there are no policemen around.

A voter is seen being captured with BVAS before voting.

Anambra East LGA

PU 009, Premier Primary School, Otuocha Ward 1, Anambra East LGA.

BIVAS is not yet working and voters are patiently waiting to be accredited and cast their votes, according to The Cable.

Dunukofia, Anaocha LGAs

According to INEC, voting commenced at exactly 8.30am at PU005, Umudioka, Dunukofia LGA (Pix 1) and polling units in Registration Area 13, Ichida 1, Anaocha LGA (Pix 2).

Njikoka LGA

PU005, Ezi-Obodoili Square, Ward 05, Abagana III, Njikoka LGA

The presiding officer has mounted the polling booth and has started pasting the names of registered voters. Many voters are around and waiting. The polling unit has a total of 956 registered voters.

PU 006, Ward 10, Awka South LGA

PU 006, Ward 10, Awka South LGA. No one yet to cast their vote as at 9:10am.

Awka South LGA

Aroma polling unit 008 and 009 in Awka South LGA. no INEC official or voter on ground.

Umunzeocha Village in Awka South LGA

Electorates have arrived at Ward II of Umunzeocha Village in Awka South local government area of the state.

INEC officials have also just arrived.

INEC deploys BVAS

History made as INEC deploys BVAS for Anambra governorship election. Legit.ng reporter has sighted the newly introduced Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), a replacement to the Smart Card Reader.

The BVAS has a dual capacity for fingerprint authentication and facial recognition. The Anambra governorship election is the first sub-national election the technology is being used.

Amawbia area

INEC staff have arrived at Amawbia area of Anambra state as Electorates will soon commence accreditation.

Senator Andy Uba's polling unit

INEC officials yet to arrive, according to Arise News TV.

Community Primary School

PU 001, Community Primary School, Umuchukwu, the hometown of Accord candidate, Godwin Maduka.

The INEC ad-hoc staff just arrived and are making the necessary arrangement for the voting. There are 686 registered voters at the polling unit.

Aguata LGA.

PU017, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Polling materials just arrived. Electoral officials are getting ready for the exercise. An INEC official said they arrived as early as 7.30am but chairs, tables, and a canopy were not immediately available.

Madam Theresa, 63, ready to vote in Awka South LGA

At Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LGA, Madam Theresa, 63, is the first voter to arrive. She is ready to vote, according to The Cable.

Aguata LGA

PU 006, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Voters are checking for their names while INEC officials are setting up the polling unit.

Anaocha LGA

PU 019. Anaocha LGA. This is the polling unit of Peter Obi, former Anambra governor and PDP chieftain.

At 8.32am, INEC officials and security operatives are yet to arrive.

Awka South LGA

PU022, Ward 2, Umuzocha, Awka South LGA. No voters registration list, INEC officials are not around. A few voters are seated, waiting for the exercise to commence.

Onitsha North LGA

PU 008, Ward 2, GRA, Onitsha North LGA. At 8.30am, no presence of INEC officials.

Aguata LGA

PU 007, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Electoral officials are still setting up. Voters are yet to arrive as of 8.22 am.

Neni, Anaocha LGA

Location: PUs 08, 09, Ward 001 and PUs 01, 02, Ward 2 GRA, Neni, Anaocha LGA

As at 8:30am, INEC officials are yet to arrive.

Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LG.

Three polling units are at Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LG.

As at 8:16am, INEC officials were still setting up.

Location: PU002 – Kindergarten Primary School

Location: PU002 – Kindergarten Primary School, Obuofu II, Ward 05, Abagana III, Njikoka LGA

At 8:06am, the presiding officer is pasting the names of registered voters and mounting the polling booth. No voter is around yet. The total number of registered voters is 620.

Location: PUs 04, 010, Ward 002

Location: PUs 04, 010, Ward 002, GRA, Onitsha North LGA

At 8:15am, INEC officials yet to arrive at the above named PU.

Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka

At 8:10am, electoral materials yet to leave the collation centre at Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LGA.

Location: Eri Primary school, PU 004

Location: Eri Primary school, PU 004, Otuocha 1, Aguleri, Anambra East LGA,

At 8am, INEC officials are still setting up and a few voters are seen checking their names on the list.

This is where Governor Willie Obiano will be casting his vote.

Location: PU001 – Kindergarten Primary School, Obuofu 1

Location: PU001 – Kindergarten Primary School, Obuofu 1, Ward 05, Abagana III, Njikoka LGA.

At the above named PU, INEC ad-hoc staff are pasting names of registered voters, and mounting the polling booth.

Three voters are already around. The total number of registered voters is 516, according to The Cable.

Election won’t hold in 86 polling units, INEC says

As Ndi Anambra prepares to vote, note that INEC had earlier said there will be no voting in 86 of the 5,720 Polling Units (PUs) in the state because they have no voters.

Situation Room opens for enquiries

Situation Room for the #AnambraDecides2021 Governorship Election is now open.

According to INEC, the situation room will offer Ndi Anambra the opportunity for getting real time responses to enquiries, incident-reports, complaints and queries about the election

HOTLINES:

0700-CALL-INEC

0700-2255-4632

09084444333, 09050858629

Adjustment in security archtecture

he Inspector-General of Police, IGP Alkali Usman Baba has removed the Deputy Inspector General, DIG Joseph Egbunike as the head of the security team for the Anambra governorship election a few hours to the exercise.

Police spokesman, CP Frank Mba, has confirmed that DIG Egbunike has been redeployed, but adduced no reason for the removal of the senior officer who is an indigene of Anambra state.

The zonal spokesperson, Princess Nkeiruka Nwode, however, said DIG Egbunike did not resign as reported in some quarters.