Voting in the ongoing governorship election has been disrupted in parts of Anambra East Local Government Area as technical hitches involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) delayed the exercise for hours, leaving frustrated voters stranded at polling centres.
At Polling Unit 002, Ward 2, Development Primary School, Nsugbe, INEC officials and ad-hoc staff said they arrived early and completed setup around 8am but were unable to begin accreditation and voting due to persistent BVAS malfunction.
Voters and INEC ad-hoc staff have expressed frustration due to the BVAS machine, which has refused to work.
“We got here around 8am and set up, but we have been unable to do anything for almost two hours,” said Samuel Obiora, the Presiding Officer, while speaking to TheCable.
“The RAC tech has been here to check the BVAS, and he promised to bring another BVAS,” he added.
As of 10:01am, the voting process had still not commenced at the unit, with residents expressing anger and disappointment over what they described as poor preparation by INEC despite repeated assurances of technical readiness.
The BVAS, the electronic device used for voter accreditation and result transmission, remains central to INEC’s promise of credible elections. However, the recurring malfunctions mirror similar incidents during the 2023 general elections, which drew widespread criticism from voters and civil society groups across the country.
Earlier reports indicated that voting commenced smoothly in many parts of Anambra State, including Aguata, Awka South, Orumba North, Nnewi North, and Nnewi South LGAs, though some units faced minor logistical delays.
INEC confirmed through its official X handle that voting was underway in PU014, Achina 02, Aguata LGA, stating:
“Voting ongoing @ PU 014, RA Achina 02, Aguata LGA, Anambra South Senatorial District. #AnambraDecides2025.”
Observers from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID Africa) and The ICIR also reported that polling materials and officials arrived early at several polling stations, though some experienced late arrival of security personnel and low voter turnout in the early hours.
At Demonstration Primary School, Agu Oka Ward 01 (Awka South LGA), and Akwuegbo Central School (Nnewi North), officials were ready as early as 8am, but voting started late in some units due to administrative delays.
Despite these early successes, the emerging BVAS failures in Nsugbe and other parts of Anambra East have raised concerns that INEC’s technological systems may once again undermine voter confidence in the credibility of the electoral process.