Anambra Election: Card Reader Frustrates Ngige for Over an Hour Without Luck, He Slams INEC

• Many voters have been left stranded in the ongoing Anambra governorship election as the BVAS machines failed to work in many units
• Among those affected is Chris Ngige who could not be captured in his polling unit for over an hour and he is not happy about it
• The minister was heard making calls to some ‘high quarters’ to complain about the situation and has vowed not to leave until he casts his vote

The minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has not been able to cast his vote in the ongoing Anambra governorship election due to the failure of the Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machine.

The minister could not get his accreditation done at his voting unit in Alor ward one, Idemili South LGA, and at the time of filing this report, was still waiting, after over 15 trials in one hour.

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This Day overheard Ngige speaking to a federal commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to him, he has been assured that the commission was sending its technicians to his voting centre.

He urged the electoral commission to extend the time for voting for the benefit of those experiencing delays in the election.

Resort to manual accreditation

The minister, who has been obviously frustrated by the process, put the level of failure of the BVAS in the polling units at over 30 per cent, The Punch reports.

He also suggested that INEC finds a way to resort to manual accreditation in such circumstances so people can exercise their franchise.

Ngige stated:

"I have been here for over an hour without success. I’m not impressed. The failure rate is between 25 to 30 per cent. This is not encouraging."

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Despite the setback, the minister has insisted that he would not leave until he voted.

APGA candidate Soludo yet to cast his vote

Charles Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has expressed worry over the conduct of the ongoing Anambra governorship election.

Soludo arrived at his polling unit early to vote but he has not exercised his franchise due to malfunctioning of the BVAS.

He lamented that people who have been since till 7am have not voted at around 1pm, asking INEC to fix the technology for them to vote.

Voter laments as card reader malfunctions

An elderly man who came out to cast his vote has expressed disappointment over the rejection of his fingers by the card reader during the accreditation exercise.

Speaking with Legit.ng at Amawbia Town Hall, Amawbia, he said he has been at the venue since 8:30 am, but the BVAS machine rejected his hands.

Source: Legit.ng