The ongoing Anambra 2025 governorship election witnessed human-interest on Saturday as a 110-year-old voter, Papa Onwujiobi Nwafo, and a 74-year-old visually-challenged man, Pa Julius Nwafor, exercised their franchise in Aguata local government area of the state.
Papa Nwafo, who cast his vote at Ward 13, Unit 002, Isuofia, Aguata LGA, drew admiration from voters and officials alike for his commitment to civic duty despite his advanced age.
In the same polling unit, Pa Nwafor, who is visually impaired, successfully voted with the assistance of his daughter, Ofeoma Nwafor.
However, reports from several polling units indicated technical hitches with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) delaying accreditation and voting in some areas.
At Nteje Boys Secondary School in Oyi LGA and Polling Unit 008, Ward 07, Nnobi, Idemili South LGA, the APGA agent complained that the BVAS devices were failing to read some voters’ cards.
The Presiding Officer at the Nnobi polling unit said that technician have been contacted to resolve the glitch.
Similarly, at Polling Unit 001, Fegge Ward 5, BVAS malfunction prevented the commencement of accreditation or voting as of 9:55 a.m., with officials awaiting a replacement device.
Beyond the technical setbacks, the election has also been trailed by allegations of vote buying. An Election Room observer, Dimma Nwobi, reported instances of voters being induced with cash by party agents at some polling centers.
Echoing the concern, governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Chioma Ifemeludike, alleged on her Instagram handle that votes were being bought across parts of Anambra for as low as ₦5,000.
“I just got a report from my polling unit searchlight that vote buying is heavily happening across the Anambra State Governorship election.
“I call on security agencies and INEC to get these party agents paying ₦5,000 for their conscience. This very act is destroying our society and is totally unacceptable!,” Ifemeludike wrote.
