The by-election for the Onitsha North 1 State Constituency in Anambra State kicked off on Saturday with electoral materials arriving at polling units as early as 8 a.m., but the exercise was largely characterised by low voter turnout.
At Polling Units 016 and 017 in Ward 3, located along Uba Road and Awka Road, as well as other polling stations at Agba Street, Orakuwe, and Ugwuta Road, INEC officials were seen waiting as voters trickled in one after another. Despite the smooth process, the atmosphere was far from energetic, with many residents shunning the polls.
The by-election was necessitated by the tragic death of Justice Azuka, the former lawmaker representing Onitsha North 1, who was kidnapped and later killed.
Candidates of the Labour Party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Young Progressives Party (YPP), African Democratic Party (ADP), and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) are contesting for the vacant seat.
Despite restrictions on movement, some youths were spotted playing football on deserted roads, while a few traders displayed their goods along the streets, underscoring the widespread voter apathy.
Speaking to journalists, the Presiding Officer at Ward 3, Ngozi Ugwuegbu, confirmed that the process had been running without hitches.
“Electoral materials arrived as early as about 8 a.m. As voters are coming, they are accredited and they are voting. The process is seamless, we have no issues with network failures and all machines are working perfectly,” Ugwuegbu said as quoted by Punch.
She added that voters who showed up were “conducting themselves in orderly manners,” with their names checked in the register before being allowed to vote.
An APGA agent, Sylvester Mozie, also expressed satisfaction with the process, noting that there had been no incident of violence or malfunction of INEC’s devices.
Security presence was heavy across strategic points in Onitsha North to ensure peace, and reports from across the constituency indicated that the election was hitch-free.
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