By Shamsuddeen Alhaji Musa
The Anambra State off-cycle governorship election has been described as largely peaceful, but characterized by low voter turnout and persistent incidents of vote buying.
According to a joint observation report signed by Abdullahi Rufai Adamu, Programs Officer – Access to Justice, Democratic & Electoral Integrity at the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and Nonso Orakwe, Executive Director – Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI), the conduct of INEC officials and security personnel contributed significantly to the calm atmosphere and citizens who came out to vote were able to exercise their rights without major disruption.
However, the report expressed concern over the low voter turnout, which signaled declining trust in the electoral process.
“Voter apathy and vote buying remain urgent issues that require collective action,” the report emphasized.
Nonso Orakwe, Executive Director of CATYCOI, echoed these concerns, noting that the incidents of vote buying undermined electoral credibility and long-term public trust.
The observers’ report revealed that while online conversations ahead of the election were largely peaceful and misinformation levels were low, there were reports of INEC staff arriving late at polling units in some areas, including Onitsha South LGA.
Despite these challenges, the report commended the professionalism of security personnel and the timely upload of results to the IReV portal.
The PPDC and CATYCOI called on INEC, civil society organizations and community leaders to strengthen logistical planning, intensify voter education, and enforce laws against vote buying and electoral malpractice.
“We remain fully committed to promoting democratic transparency, civic participation, and accountability across Nigeria,” the organizations affirmed.
The election was observed across all 21 LGAs in Anambra State, with a coordinated approach that included monitoring online civic spaces, campaign activities, and election-day processes.
