Mrs Elizabeth Onike, aged 96, was unable to cast her vote at Umudim/Akasi polling unit 019 in Agulu Ward 2, Aniocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, after failing to produce her voter’s card.
The nonagenarian, who was crying about being disenfranchised because she could not produce her voter’s card, had joined others to vote at her ward, however, when asked where she had left her voter’s card, she retorted in Igbo: “I don’t know where it is. I cannot find it.”
From her pleading, it was obvious that she was eager to vote. Those around her stated that she came on her own.
At the polling unit, voting started as early as 9 a.m. The old woman is said to have arrived at the venue before 9 a.m. and got a seat for herself. When it was time for accreditation, however, she was asked about her voter’s card, but she could not produce it.
The polling unit is also where the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, will cast his vote later in the day.
BVAS malfunctioned at Fagge
Meanwhile, voting at Polling Unit 001, Fegge in Onitsha was delayed after the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine malfunctioned. As of 9:55 a.m., no voters had been accredited, and officials were awaiting a replacement device to resume the process, according to our correspondent Eyitope Kuteyi.
The incident occurred while other centres across the state had already begun voting. The 2025 Anambra governorship election involves 2,802,790 registered voters across 5,718 polling units in 21 local government areas, covering three senatorial districts with sixteen candidates in the race. Key contenders include Governor Chukwuma Soludo (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu (APC), Paul Chukwuma (YPP), George Moghalu (Labour Party), and Jude Ezenwafor (PDP).
Observers noted that the polling unit in Agulu is also where the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is expected to cast his vote later in the day. The malfunction and the disenfranchisement of elderly voters underscore operational and accessibility challenges in the early hours of the election.
Markets open in Nnewi
In Nnewi, Anambra State, some traders opened their shops at Nkwo Igboukwu, Aguata Local Government Area, on Saturday despite the ongoing 2025 governorship election.
According to Channels inTelevision, market activity continued briefly before intervention by market leaders, who instructed shop owners to close and proceed to polling units, warning of a ₦10,000 fine for non-compliance.
Several traders claimed that they were not motivated to participate in the election. Motorcyclists were also observed moving freely around the market, suggesting partial adherence to the closure directive.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Aguata has 150,575 collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). Overall, 2,769,137 of the 2,802,790 registered voters in Anambra State, representing 98.8 per cent, had collected their PVCs ahead of Saturday’s vote, which is being conducted across 5,718 polling units in 21 local government areas.
