Today’s governorship election in Anambra State, though peaceful, but with heavy presence of security deployment.
An ugly incident occured when a drunken policeman deployed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), threw teargas canisters at voters.
A poll worker, who is a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who tried to question his action, was injured by the officer who threw chair at him instead.
Contrary to the restriction of movement by the Nigeria Police Force, tricycle operators (otherwise known as Keke), moved freely.
Shop owners and food vendors, also opened for business.
A food seller, Justina Oyibo, said she came out to make some sales since voters will need something to eat, while another vendor, Grace Igwebuike, noted that many voters left home early without breakfast, “so that as they vote, they can eat.”
There were also incidences of vote buying. A first-time voter at Nteje Ward 1, Amuda Village Square, said she was given money to vote.
The voter who spoke in Igbo language, could not however disclose how much she was given or who paid her.
“I was paid to vote,” she said, smiling, but quickly added that she was happy to finally participate in an election after years of waiting to reach voting age.
She explained that she could not vote in the 2023 general election because she did not have a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) then.
“I just got my PVC this year, and I’m happy to use it today,” she said.
There was incidence of malfunctioning of bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) at Onitsha.
The election was generally peaceful. Election materials arrived most polling units early, while the electorate conducted themselves in orderly manner.
