The 2025 Anambra State governorship election commenced on Saturday, 8th November, but was immediately characterized by a noticeably low voter turnout across polling units, reflecting deep-seated public skepticism about the electoral process.
Election Day Observations: Indifference and Smooth Operations
At Udeozo Primary School in Awka South Local Government Area, the governorship election began at 8:30 a.m. as scheduled. Officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission started accreditation at three polling units located under mango trees within the school premises.
Despite the critical nature of the poll, only a handful of voters were present at the start. The scene was one of stark contrast, with some young men playing football on the school field, completely indifferent to the political exercise unfolding nearby.
One of the youths, Sunday, voiced a sentiment shared by many, telling our correspondent, "Our votes have not counted in the past, so what is the essence of voting today?"
However, not all shared this disillusionment. 79-year-old Mr. Ogbodo, who cast his ballot at 8:55 a.m., reported a smooth voting process and expressed hope that peace would prevail throughout the election day.
Yiaga Africa Points Finger at Political Parties
Samson Itodo, the Executive Director of election monitoring group Yiaga Africa, directly attributed the potential voter apathy to failures by political parties. Speaking during Channels Television's special election coverage, Itodo stated that parties had fundamentally failed in voter mobilization.
"I think if there's one aspect most political parties have failed, it's in voter mobilisation," Itodo asserted. "If parties are serious about electoral competition, voters are their major clients and targets. If voters are not showing up, parties should take full responsibility."
He suggested that the disconnection stems from both communication failures and the quality of candidates presented to the electorate. "Parties need to do a better job of mobilising their voters. Enticing people to show up is unacceptable. Parties must outline clear developmental programmes that voters can believe in," he emphasized.
Security Situation and Election Logistics
On security matters, Itodo identified Anambra South as a critical area requiring attention, noting that many leading candidates originate from this senatorial district. Specific hotspots mentioned included Ihiala, Nnewi, and Aguata.
"Aguata is a battleground senatorial district because most major party candidates come from there. Anambra Central, Awka South, and Idemili North are also competitive areas," he detailed.
Meanwhile, INEC officials were observed deploying election materials across Awka South LGA early Saturday morning. At St. Matthew Catholic Church, staff departed for various polling units, while ad hoc personnel assembled at Community Primary School, Amawbia, to cover Wards 01 and 02, leaving at 7:07 a.m.
The electoral exercise involves 2,802,790 registered voters spread across 5,718 polling units in Anambra's 21 local government areas. Sixteen candidates are contesting, including prominent figures like Governor Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, Nicholas Ukachukwu of APC, Paul Chukwuma of YPP, George Moghalu of Labour Party, and Jude Ezenwafor of PDP.
Commissioner of Police Abayomi Shogunle reaffirmed security assurances, noting that security agencies had conducted clearance operations in high-risk areas and neutralized identified threats before election day.
