The Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), through its Nigeria Election Violence Education and Resolution (NEVER) Project, on Saturday raised concern over the pronounced incidences of vote trading , late arrival of electoral materials and low turnout at the ongoing Anambra State governorship elections
Speaking during it’s mid–election day briefing on the ongoing 2025 Anambra off-cycle governorship election, the Executive Director, KDI,
Bukola Idowu,
highlighted logistical challenges, voter inducement, and low turnout across several polling units.
Idowu, said KDI deployed over 370 trained observers across Anambra’s 21 local government areas, 326 registration areas, and 5,718 polling units.
The EDDR, which opened on November 7, serves as the organization’s central hub for real-time verification, analysis, and visualization of election data.
According to him:
“Preliminary findings indicate that voting commenced late in close to half of the polling units observed, with INEC officials and materials arriving after 8:45 a.m. in many areas. Late commencement was due to the absence of security officials, without which election officers could not move from RACs to commence the process,” he noted.
He said that, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) functioned optimally in 95.6% of polling units monitored, though minor disruptions were recorded in 2.64%, while complete breakdowns occurred in 1.76% of locations. “In several cases, BVAS failed to capture fingerprints, requiring officials to revert to facial authentication,” the organization added.
The group expressed concern over “widespread compromise of ballot secrecy,” citing multiple instances where voters openly displayed marked ballots or were led by party agents to verify their votes for cash rewards. “Evidence from the field suggests a concerning level of tacit consensus among multiple political parties in perpetuating this practice,” KDI observed, naming the All Progressives
Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), and Young Progressives Party (YPP) among those whose agents were allegedly involved. Reported inducements ranged from ₦3,000 to ₦10,000.KDI also raised alarm over uneven and sparse deployment of security personnel. While the Nigeria Police had announced the deployment of 55,000 officers statewide, “field reports reveal a troubling disconnect between these figures and actual ground presence.” In some urban centers such as Awka South, security concentration was high, but several semi-urban and rural areas lacked visible protection.
“For instance, in Anambra East LGA, Ward 19, PU-21, as at 9:57 a.m., no security officer was seen,” the report stated.
The organization documented 21 incidents of violence, including clashes, intimidation, harassment, and ballot box snatching, with perpetrators identified as party agents and voters. One incident involved a security officer discharging tear gas at a polling location.
Voter turnout remained low throughout the morning, as observers described sparsely populated polling stations. “Officials were seen seated with only two to five voters waiting in line,” KDI reported, though it expressed hope that turnout might improve before polls close.
Reiterating its commitment to democratic integrity and electoral peace, KDI called on all stakeholders to uphold transparency and restraint. “We urge voters to come out to cast their votes as the election is still in progress. Citizens should remain calm, queue patiently, and follow the instructions of election officials,” the organization advised.
KDI further urged security agencies, party agents, and electoral officials to “maintain peace, calm, and decorum throughout the electoral process,” while emphasizing that “the final results must truly reflect the will of the people.”
The group encouraged citizens to report any irregularities through official channels, including the INEC help desk, to ensure accountability and credible outcomes in the 2025 Anambra Governorship Election.
