The local government election in Anambra State on Saturday faced significant challenges due to the delayed arrival of officials from the state Electoral Commission at polling units across the region.
Although the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) had announced that voting would begin at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m., many polling units had not seen any officials by noon. In Awka, visits to several polling locations revealed a complete absence of election preparations.
At the Ukwu Orji Government House polling unit, while police officers were present, ANSIEC ad-hoc staff had still not arrived by 9 a.m. Other polling units experiencing similar delays included Aroma Ward Three, Odoagba Ward One, and Unizik Junction.
In the Iyiowa/Odekpe area of Ogbaru Local Government, there were no ANSIEC officials or security personnel on-site, and electoral materials had yet to arrive by 9 a.m. Only one party agent from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was present.
The late start, combined with a noticeable lack of voter engagement—many residents chose to participate in monthly sanitation and other activities—cast a shadow over the credibility of the elections.
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