INEC Official Collapses Amid Voting Chaos in Anambra
Anambra State's governorship election witnessed dramatic scenes on Saturday, November 8, 2025, when an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official collapsed during voting operations at a polling unit in Enugwu-Ukwu.
Miss Blessing Egoigwe, the presiding officer at polling unit 005 in Enugwu-Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area, collapsed following intense pressure from voters frustrated by malfunctioning BVAS machines.
Technical Failures Spark Voter Frustration
The incident occurred after crowds of voters complained about the BVAS machines failing to recognize voter cards, particularly affecting newly registered voters. The technical glitches created significant bottlenecks and heightened tensions at the polling unit.
According to reports, the situation became so overwhelming that the INEC official succumbed to the pressure and collapsed while attempting to manage the voting process. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and rushed Miss Egoigwe to an undisclosed hospital for immediate medical attention.
The technical failures had severe consequences for voters in the area. More than 470 registered voters were denied their right to vote at Enugwu-Ukwu Community ward 2 polling unit 005 due to the persistent BVAS malfunctions.
INEC's Response and Election Progress
Despite the challenges on the ground, INEC technicians were alerted to the situation and visited the problematic polling unit. However, sources indicated that little improvement was made in resolving the technical issues during the critical voting hours.
The incident occurred despite repeated assurances from INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, who had consistently reaffirmed the commission's readiness for the Anambra state governorship election.
As the election progressed, INEC demonstrated some technical capability by uploading over 94% of results to the Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV) by the time reports were filed. This achievement provided some transparency amid the voting day challenges.
The 2025 Anambra gubernatorial election, which took place on November 8 to elect the state's governor, continues to draw attention as citizens await the final outcome and assessment of the electoral process.
