A presiding officer with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fainted on Saturday as voters clamoured to cast their ballots during the Anambra governorship election, following a malfunction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at Polling Unit 005, Enugwu-Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area.
The officer, identified as Blessing Egoigwe, collapsed at the height of confusion and complaints from frustrated voters, and was promptly rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
The incident disrupted the voting process for over 470 registered voters, many of whom were unable to exercise their franchise due to technical failures.
Reports indicate that the BVAS struggled to recognise the voter cards of newly registered citizens, leaving first-time voters stranded.
“I was denied the chance to vote because the machine could not capture my fingerprint. My hope to vote for a candidate of my choice was dashed,” said Blessing Okoye, 18, a first-time voter.
Similarly, Ifeoma Iloeze, 55, lamented spending the entire day at the polling unit only to be turned away after the BVAS failed to capture her facial features.
She called on INEC to provide alternative voting methods to prevent such challenges in future elections.
An INEC technician was deployed to the polling unit following the complaints, but only minimal improvements were reported. Disturbingly, some deceased individuals were still listed among registered voters at the unit, adding to the voters’ frustrations.
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