Voting has been delayed at Polling Unit 001, Fegge Ward 5, in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, following a malfunction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), a key device used for voter accreditation in the Saturday’s governorship election.
No accreditation or voting had begun at the polling unit, as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials awaited the arrival of a replacement BVAS device.
Videos circulating online show frustrated voters lamenting the delay, with some expressing disappointment after waiting for hours.
One of the voters, visibly upset, said, “The BVAS at 001 is not working, what then do we do? We have waited an hour plus now. If the BVAS were working, we should have voted by now because we came very early.”
An INEC ad hoc official at the polling unit confirmed the issue, explaining that efforts were being made to rectify the problem. “They went to bring another one. They are coming to bring another one for us,” the official said.
Several voters, including elderly residents, were seen sitting and standing around as officials made calls to the local INEC office to fast-track the replacement.
Security personnel were also stationed at the scene to maintain order and prevent disruptions.
The BVAS device, which is crucial for verifying voters’ identities before balloting, has been a recurring source of delays in Nigerian elections. INEC had earlier assured that standby technical teams were deployed across the state to respond swiftly to any malfunction.
Fegge Ward 5, located in Onitsha South LGA, falls within Anambra North Senatorial District, a densely populated area known for high voter participation.
Across Anambra, 2,802,790 registered voters are expected to cast their votes in 5,718 polling units across 21 local government areas. The election features 16 candidates, including leading contenders Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu (APC), Paul Chukwuma (YPP), George Moghalu (LP), and Jude Ezenwafor (PDP).
While the situation at Fegge Ward 5 remains pending, reports from other parts of the state — including Aguata, Ayamelum, and Ekwusigo LGAs — indicate that voting and accreditation are ongoing smoothly, with the BVAS devices functioning effectively.
