AnambraDecides: BVAS Glitches Slows Voting in Onitsha as Voters Wait for Hours

Voting in Onitsha, Anambra State, was on Saturday delayed for several hours as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) malfunctioned in many polling units, frustrating hundreds of voters who arrived early to cast their ballots.

At Polling Unit 001, Fegge Ward 5, St. John Primary School, officials said they had completed setup before 8am but could not start accreditation or voting due to repeated BVAS failure.

“We got here around 8am and set up, but we have been unable to do anything for almost two hours,” said Samuel Obiora, the Presiding Officer. “The RAC tech has been here to check the BVAS, and he promised to bring another BVAS.”

As of 10:01am, voting had still not commenced in the unit, with visibly angry residents accusing INEC of poor preparation despite earlier assurances of readiness.

Many voters were seen waiting under the sun, while others threatened to leave if the process didn’t begin soon.

The BVAS device, introduced by INEC to ensure transparent accreditation and result transmission, has once again come under criticism.

The recurring technical failures mirror issues seen during the 2023 general elections, where similar glitches disrupted voting across several states.

Also, civil society observers have already begun expressing concerns over INEC’s technical preparedness for the poll.

Meanwhile, reports from other parts of Anambra indicate that voting began smoothly in several local government areas such as Aguata, Awka South, Orumba North, Nnewi North, and Nnewi South.

At some polling units in these areas, accreditation started as early as 8:30am, with minor delays linked to late arrival of security personnel.

INEC confirmed that voting was ongoing in some areas through a post on X which read: “Voting ongoing @ PU 014, RA Achina 02, Aguata LGA, Anambra South Senatorial District. #AnambraDecides2025.”

Observers from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID Africa) and The ICIR also confirmed early distribution of election materials in many wards.

However, they noted that the BVAS malfunction in Onitsha and nearby areas could impact overall voter turnout if not urgently resolved.

As of the time of filing this report, INEC technicians were still working to replace faulty devices in affected polling units to allow the voting process to continue.