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LIVE: Anambra state governorship election | TheCable thecable.ng/live-anambra-s…

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Good morning, dear readers. Welcome to TheCable's coverage of the 2021 Anambra governorship election.

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TheCable will bring you extensive coverage and insightful reporting of the exercise -- from start to finish. We have boots on the ground across Anambra state. Stick with us for the ride.

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Eighteen candidates are vying to succeed Willie Obiano as the governor of Anambra. Here's a snapshot of the candidates and their parties.

This is the first governorship poll to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2021. @inecnigeria said it has registered a total of 2,525,471 voters for the Anambra poll.

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Location: PU001 – Kindergarten Primary School, Obuofu 1, Ward 05, Abagana III, Njikoka LGA.

Update: @inecnigeria ad-hoc staff are pasting names of registered voters, and mounting the polling booth. Three voters are already around. The total number of registered voters is 516.

Location: Eri Primary school, PU 004, Otuocha 1, Aguleri, Anambra East LGA,

Update: At 8am, INEC officials are still setting up and a few voters are seen checking their names on the list. This is Governor Willie Obiano's polling unit.

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Update: At 8:10am, electoral materials yet to leave the collation centre at Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LG.

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Location: PUs 04, 010, Ward 002, GRA, Onitsha North LGA

Update: At 8:15am, @inecnigeria officials yet to arrive.

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Location: PU002 – Kindergarten Primary School, Obuofu II, Ward 05, Abagana III, Njikoka LGA

Update: At 8:16am, the presiding officer is pasting the names of registered voters and mounting the polling booth. No voter is around yet. The total number of registered voters is 620.

Location: Three polling units are at Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LG.

Update: As at 8:16am, they were still setting up.

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Location: Ward 2, PU 4, 5 and 20, Umuzocha, Awka South LG.

Update: As at 8:12am, no INEC officials on the ground. A few people are around, checking for their names on the voters' register and waiting for the officials.

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Location: PUs 08, 09, Ward 001 and PUs 01, 02, Ward 2 GRA, Neni, Anaocha LGA

Update: As at 8:30am, INEC officials are yet to arrive.

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Location: PU 018, Ward 19, Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LG.

Update: An INEC ad-hoc staff is pasting the list of voters.

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Location: PU 007, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Update: Electoral officials are still setting up. Voters are yet to arrive as of 8:22 am.

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Location: PU 008, Ward 2, GRA, Onitsha North LG.

Update: At 8:30am, no presence of INEC officials. An operative of the NSCDC deployed to the PU tells TheCable that some of the officials are en route to the polling unit.

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Location: PU022, Ward 2, Umuzocha, Awka South LG.

Update: No voters registration list, INEC officials are not around. A few voters are seated, waiting for the exercise to commence.

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Location: PU 019. Anaocha LGA. This is the polling unit of Peter Obi, former Anambra governor.

Update: At 8:32am, INEC officials and security operatives are yet to arrive.

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Location: PU 006, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Update: Voters are checking for their names while INEC officials are setting up the polling unit.

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63-YEAR-OLD THERESA IS AN EARLY BIRD

Location: Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South LG

Update: Madam Theresa, 63, is the first voter to arrive. She is ready to vote!

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Location: PU 015, Ward 02, Onitsha North LGA

Update: INEC officials just setting up at 8:44am.

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Here’s where we should have PUs 03, 013, in Ward 02, Onitsha North LGA, but the boys are temporally using the space to play football, while waiting for INEC officials to arrive.

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Location: PU017, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Polling materials just arrived. Electoral officials are getting ready for the exercise. An INEC official said they arrived as early as 7:30am but chairs, tables, and a canopy were not immediately available, hence the late start.

Location: PUs 004, 005, 006, 007, 008, 009, Ward Bridgehead 1, Onitsha South LG.

Update: At 8:42am, INEC officials are yet to arrive, A few security operatives are present.

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Location: PU 001, Community Primary School, Umuchukwu, the hometown of Accord candidate, Godwin Maduka.

The INEC ad-hoc staff just arrived and are making the necessary arrangement for the voting. The presiding officer says there are 686 registered voters at the polling unit.

Location: PUs 02, 03, 04, Ward 3, Ndi' Ichie, Awka South LG.
Update: The INEC officials are just setting up as at 9am. Hamzat Idapo, the presiding officer, tells TheCable that the materials were not distributed early because the bus drivers showed up late.

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BVAS TO THE RESCUE?

Quick Info: INEC has deployed the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) for the Anambra governorship election. Unlike the smart card reader, the BVAS uses both fingerprint and facial recognition. This will minimise cases of voter disenfranchisement.

Location: PU 002, Aroikpa, Umuchukwu, Orumba South.

Update: The ad-hoc staff complained of a shortage of personnel. The presiding officer said there are 204 registered voters at the polling unit. No voters around at 9am as INEC officials set up.

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'I CANNOT COME AND KILL MYSELF'

"I cannot come and kill myself, no voter yet, so I'm eating," says the assistant presiding officer at ward 19, PU 019, Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South

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Location: PUs 004, 005, 006, Ward Bridgehead 2, Onitsha South.

Update: As at 09:03am, INEC officials were done setting up electoral materials. They are now waiting for approval to commence accreditation. Security operatives are on standby.

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Location: PU 016, Achukenyi Square, Ward 11, Otuocha 1, Anambra East LGA.

Update: Accreditation of voters commenced at 9:10am.

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Location: PU005, Ezi-Obodoili Square, Ward 05, Abagana III, Njikoka LGA

Update: The presiding officer has mounted the polling booth and has started pasting the names of registered voters. Many voters are around and waiting. The polling unit has a total of 956 registered voters.

Location: PU002, Boys Secondary School, Owerri Ezukala, Orumba South.

Update: INEC officials arrived at 9:16am and complained that they were delayed because no security was provided for them.

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Location: PU 009, Premier Primary School, Otuocha Ward 1, Anambra East LGA.

Update: BIVAS is not yet working and voters are patiently waiting to be accredited and cast their votes.
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Location: PUs 07, 08, Ward 5, Agulu, Umuogbo, Awka South.

Update: Accreditation and voting have commenced.
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Location: PUs 007, 008, 009, 010, 011, Ward Bridgehead 2, Onitsha South.

Update: INEC officials have set up and are waiting for voters.
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ALL SET, BUT NO VOTERS

Location: PU 07, Ward 02, Onitsha North

Update: Everything is set, but people are not coming out to vote. As at 9:30am, the INEC official here said only one vote has been cast.

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Location: PU 002, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LG.

Update: Voters have turned up and are waiting to be accredited. This is the polling unit where Charles Soludo, the All Grand Progressives Alliance (APGA) candidate, is expected to vote.

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OLDER VOTERS DOMINATE

Location: PU 002, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LG.

Update: So far, there are more older voters in this polling unit than we have youths.

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Location: PU 008, Otuocha 11, Umueri Town Hall, Anambra East LGA.

Update: Accreditation and voting have started. BIVAS is working perfectly. The total number of registered voters is 460.
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Location: PU 002, Ward 13, Isuofia, Aguata LGA.

Update: Voting and accreditation started at 9:31am.
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WHEN THOSE BOYS COME, RUN'

“When those boys come, abeg get on your feet and run o,” a police officer deployed to Onitsha North LGA tells TheCable reporter.
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Location: PUs 009 and 10, Mbala Agbala, Ward 1, Ogbunka, Orumba South.

Update: The ad-hoc staff are just setting up while voters expressed worry that there is no presence of security personnel in the area.

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Location: PU 008, Otuocha 1, Anambra East LGA.

Update: Accreditation is still ongoing and voters are lined up to exercise their franchise.

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MADAM THERESA CASTS HER VOTE -- BUT NOT WITHOUT DRAMA

Update: At the first few attempts, the BVAS failed to recognise Madam Theresa, both facial and fingerprint.

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Eventually, it worked.

She finally casts her vote. First to come, first to vote at PU 008, ward 19, Ezinifite Hall, Okpuno, Awka South.

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Location: PUs 001, 002, 003, 004, 005, 006, Bridgehead 2, Onitsha South.

Update: Accreditation has commenced.

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Location: PU003, Ama-Igwe public square, Otuocha 1, Anambra East LG.

Update: Only one INEC ad-hoc staff attending to voters. She complained that other people posted there refused to show up out of fear. In spite of their no-show, she is flying solo and accreditation is ongoing.

BIVAS 'NOT RESPONDING'
Location: PUs13, 14, 37 and 34, Ward 5, Awka South LG.
Update: Some voters have been accredited but can't vote because the BIVAS machines are malfunctioning. The presiding officers of the different PUs said the machines keep displaying 'app not responding'.