Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were spotted early Saturday morning at Central School III in Awka South, setting up election materials and preparing polling stations for the 2025 governorship election.
By 8 a.m., the premises were buzzing with activity as electoral staff arranged ballot boxes, voting cubicles, and other essential materials in readiness for voters.
The election sees 16 candidates from 16 political parties competing to unseat the incumbent governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, who is seeking re-election under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Among the early voters making their way to the polls was Pa Julius Nwafor, a 74-year-old visually impaired man, who arrived at the Umuezeadigo Street Polling Unit 002 in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area, at 7:30 a.m., guided by his daughter.
“Even though I am visually impaired, as far as I am a Nigerian, I am supposed to vote to satisfy my conscience. And that’s why I am here,” Nwafor told Punch.
Note that Isuofia, which is the hometown of Governor Soludo, is part of Aguata LGA, one of the seven local government areas making up Anambra South.
The early turnout drew praise from Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, who is among the ten Election Logistics Technical Support Electoral Commissioners deployed to monitor the poll.
“It is obvious they are ready, considering the orderliness and the rate they are coming in,” she said, noting that voting would officially start at 8:30 a.m., immediately following the accreditation of voters using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
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