The Anambra state election conducted this morning by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) was marred by many irregularities. An election scheduled to commence from 9: 00 an to 4: 00 pm did not start in any of the designated polling centres at the right time.

Distribution of non sensitive election materials started at about 11: 00 at most of the local Government Areas in the state. The distribution of the sensitive materials like the ballot papers and ballot boxes did not start until about 12: 30. This delay was mainly due to the refusal of some policemen deployed to provide security to the electoral materials, to do their jobs over the non payment of their allowances.

Charles Soludo

Governor Peter Obi was not as lucky as Soludo as he was not able to vote at the Agulu Town Hall polling station where he registered to vote. On arrival at the polling station, the obviously frustrated Governor refused to vote as a protest over the shoddy way the election was being conducted. He complained that the five polling stations he visited within his senatorial district, that voting had not started in any of them.

Even at the capital city Awka, voting did not start at the stipulated time as all the poling units suffered the same fate with those in the interiors of the state.

When voting finally commenced, many voters did not find their names in the voters registr and this created a near panic in some polling units. The INEC officials however had to improvise by writing the names of card carrying voters before they were allowed to vote.

The heavy presence of armed security personnel helped in ensuring that peaceful  atmosphere existed in many cities in the state.