The result of the just concluded Anambra governorship election is being awaited as collation of results from various parts of the state is still on-going.
However, reports from various polling units said malfunctioning of Bimodal gadget and voter apathy greatly affected the election.
It was observed that many polling units visited in the three senatorial zones, Anambra North, Anambra Central, and Anambra South, there were scanty turn outs of voters, who also complained of poor functioning of Bimodal voting machines.
When kpakpando News crew visited Odoagba Square 2, at about 9.15 in the morning, the Inec officials were yet to start work, security agents and a few voters were around.
However, when our correspondent came back around 3 pm, voting was almost concluded.
The Presiding Officer there were seventeen registered voters, but only six came to vote.
At about 9.15am, the Crew was at Awka Ward 6, located at Federal Government Technical College, Awka.
The Presiding Officer said everything had been put in place, while Accreditation and voting were about to start.
He also said he was expecting the Party Agents who were yet to arrive.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, called for extension of time to ensure that no eligible voter was denied opportunity of voting due to the poor functioning of Bimodal voting machines.
He spoke after voting at his 010 Social Centre polling unit, Amesi ward, in Aguata Council Area, at about 11 am where only 18 out of the 331y registered voters had voted as at 11.18 am.
The polling centre however, recorded large number of voters.
Speaking to the Press, the Presiding Officer, Ben Obong, lamented that they would have gone far, but for the slow functioning of the Bimodal gadget.
He said it took about 20 minutes for Ozigbo to get accredited and vote.
Chairman of PDP in Aguata local government, Mr. Umunne Sunny, said he stood on the queue for about 45 minutes before his turn to vote, while his accreditation and voting lasted for more than 15 minutes at his polling unit 011, Uga Boys Secondary School, Aguata.
At polling unit 014 Mbaraoye Primary School, Uga Ward, the Presiding Officer, Effiong Owokere, said there were 750 registered voters, but, that only four had voted at about 11.54am.
APC agent, Mr. Okechukwu Ukachukwu, also complained of the Bimodal machine which was not working fast.
According to him, it took about 45 minutes for a voter to get accredited and vote, adding that it looked like the INEC Adhoc staff did not know how to operate the machine.
Earlier at the Premises of Aguata Local Government Headquarters, polling unit 022, Ekwulobia ward 1, there was only five voters.
The Presiding Officer, Okefi Odinakachi, complained that no voter had turned up as at about 10.23am, but informed that YPP and PDP agents came and left.
At Umudimakasi polling unit 019, Agulu ward 1, Anaocha local government area, the voting unit of former governor of Anambra state, and, Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP in 2019, Mr. Peter Obi at about 9.55am, the Presiding Officer, Odor Edisenimi Christy, said they were still getting ready to commence voting processes.
It was noted that pasting of list of voters on the wall by agents of political parties were going on.
The Presiding Officer said the polling unit has a total of 756 registered voters.
PDP agent, Mr. Iloduba Henry, his APGA and APC counterparts, Dr. Charles Muoka, and, Okeke Obiageli, expressed satisfaction that INEC officials were making arrangement to ensure transparent conduct of the poll.
Later after casting his vote at his Umudimakasi polling unit 019, Agulu ward 1 Anaocha local government at about 1.17 pm, along with his wife, Margaret, Mr Obi complained that the exercise was characterised generally by late arrival of voting materials and malfunctioning of the Bimodal voting gadgets.
He urged INEC, to ensure that no eligible voter was denied opportunity of voting due in the election.
“I have been waiting Mr. Peter Obi has urged INEC, to ensure that no eligible voter was denied opportunity of voting due in the election.
since morning for the voting to start, and, people have been calling me from across the state complaining of lack of arrival of voting materials at the polling units, and, when the voting started, the Bimodal machines are not working, which shouldn’t be.
“My appeal is that no eligible voter should be allowed to go without voting”, Obi stated.
He attributed the low voters turn out to the earlier threat to stop the governorship election from holding by the Indigenous People of Biafra, and, noted that voters turn out improved later in the day.
A voter at Obeleduani polling unit 01, in Anaocha Council Area, Ozor Joseph Eze, also complained that no voter had been able to vote as at 12.35 in the polling unit due to non- functioning of Bimodal gadget.
He said the situation was the same in Ebele, Central School, Obeledu, and, Agu Ndu polling unit, Obeledu,
When Press crew arrived Enugwu Ukwu, Uruogbe Primary School, Ward 3, Njikoka Local Government, at about 2.15pm, there was large turn out of voters, but the voters complained about the malfunctioning of the machine.
Some of them especially the elderly, lamented that they had been waiting since 7 o’clock in the morning and were still waiting.
They said they were tired and hungry and were not even sure they would still be able to vote.
Deputy Director of Media and Publicity, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship Campaign, Mr. Emeka Ozumba, in his reactions, lamented that there was large voters at Enugwu- Ukwu ward 4, Njikoka local government, but, that the Bimodal gadgets were not functioning.
“We believe strong that there is a deliberate strategy to frustrate voters from voting, and, voters here are getting restive. The security personnel here have all disappeared “, Ozumba lamented.
Nevertheless, despite general low voter turn out, and, malfunctioning of the Bimodal gadgets, there was no violence anywhere, while security was tight most places visited.
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