The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) has expressed deep concern over widespread voter apathy and rampant vote buying that characterized the Anambra governorship election.
Speaking at the Election Analysis Centre in Abuja, Prof. Ernest Aniche presented CDD’s preliminary findings after the organization monitored voting activities across all 21 local government areas of the state on Saturday.
According to Aniche, the exercise exposed worrisome trends such as low voter turnout, weak electoral competitiveness, and the fragility of major democratic institutions. He attributed the poor participation of voters to lingering distrust in the electoral process following the 2023 general elections, as well as fear of possible violence, manipulation, and internal party rifts.
The report indicated that 72.2 percent of polling units opened on schedule with officials already at their stations before 8:30 a.m., while 19.5 percent began between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. However, 1.5 percent started operations after 9:00 a.m., and 5.4 percent suffered major delays, with electoral officers arriving well past 10:00 a.m. “These figures reflect generally effective early deployment by INEC across most areas,” the report stated.
CDD observers noted alarming incidents of cash inducement at several polling centres. “Party agents offered voters up to N10,000 and N5,000, depending on the location. For example, in Achina and in Aguata LGA, agents distributed N5,000 and N2,000 payments to voters. In Anambra South, similar patterns were recorded. At Ichi in Ekwusigo LGA, and Achina in Aguata LGA, with agents distributing cash payments ranging from ₦2,000 to ₦5,000 in rooms situated directly across polling units. At Igboukwu, party agents were seen distributing N5,000 to voters openly, without any response or deterrent from security personnel,” he said.
The group also criticized INEC for failing to display the mandatory zero count in some polling units, which raised concerns about adherence to operational guidelines. It further revealed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) malfunctioned in some locations, failing to capture thumbprints without any immediate technical intervention.
On the issue of security, the CDD noted that personnel were present at about 87.3 percent of polling units observed, while 12.7 percent had no security presence at all. “In locations where officers were deployed, the security presence consisted of an average of three to four officers per unit, contributing to a calm and orderly voting environment in most cases. Polling units with fewer registered voters showed inadequate security coverage, which aligns with the 12.7 per cent of polling units that had no security personnel present,” the report added.
CDD West Africa concluded that while the election was largely peaceful, it was tainted by systemic irregularities that undermine the credibility of the process and weaken public confidence in electoral institutions.
