Voters in Anambra State voiced their frustration over the late arrival of electoral officers and materials during the ongoing Local Government chairmanship and councillorship elections across the state’s 21 LGAs.
As of 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, many eligible voters had yet to cast their ballots, raising concerns about potential disruptions to the voting process.
Polling units at various locations, including Unit 006 at Ichi Community Primary School in Ekwusigo LGA, Unit 008 at Iyiowa-Odekpe in Ogbaru LGA, Aroma Ward Three, Odoagba Ward One, the polling unit at Unizik Junction, and Unit 02 at the Ayamelum LGA secretariat, were among those affected by the delay.
Voters who had arrived early were seen sitting in groups, anxiously awaiting the arrival of officials and materials from the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC).
At the time of this report, no ANSIEC Ad-hoc staff, security personnel, or electoral materials had arrived at these polling stations.
In some polling units, only a few political party agents were present, and there were minimal signs of election activity.
Meanwhile, some residents were observed going about their regular monthly cleaning chores, with occasional vehicle movement in the area.
At Polling Unit 009 in Iyiowa-Odekpe, a voter, Christopher Adindun, expressed his frustration, stating, “It’s past 9:30 a.m., and we haven’t seen any ANSIEC officials or materials. From what we’ve heard, many polling units are facing the same issue.”
Similarly, Helen Uzor, a voter at Ichi Community Primary School, said, “As of now, no ANSIEC Ad-hoc staff, security personnel, or electoral materials have arrived.
There’s no indication that the election will proceed.” Despite this, she noted an increasing number of voters arriving at the location, holding out hope that the situation would improve.
Addressing the delays, Sir Anthony Nnalue, the ANSIEC Commissioner in charge of Logistics and Publicity, urged voters to remain calm and orderly.
He reassured them that the distribution of materials was underway and that they would soon reach the polling units.
The delays have sparked concerns about the smooth conduct of the election, but officials remain hopeful that the process will proceed as planned once the materials and staff arrive at the polling stations.
