The 2025 Anambra governorship election encountered early technical setbacks at Polling Unit 001, Fegge, in Onitsha South Local Government Area, as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) failed to function properly, leaving frustrated election officials and restless voters waiting under the morning sun.
By 9:55 a.m., accreditation and voting had yet to begin. INEC staff on site made repeated attempts to restart the device, but the machine refused to authenticate voters. The officials later confirmed they were awaiting a replacement unit from the local commission office before voting could proceed. 
While the situation in Fegge remained stalled, reports from other polling centres across the state indicated that voting had already begun smoothly. Some areas in Awka South, Ekwulobia, and Nnewi North recorded early turnout, with voters completing accreditation without delay.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier announced that 2,802,790 registered voters were eligible to cast their ballots across 5,718 polling units spread across Anambra’s 21 local government areas.
This year’s governorship contest spans the state’s three senatorial districts, featuring sixteen candidates vying for the top position. Among the major contenders are incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Paul Chukwuma of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), George Moghalu of the Labour Party (LP), and Jude Ezenwafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Despite the hitch in Fegge, the mood among residents remained calm, though visibly tense. Some voters expressed quiet disappointment as they lingered near the polling unit, hoping the machine would be fixed in time for them to cast their votes.
As the delay persisted, officials at the scene maintained contact with INEC’s technical support team, raising hopes that accreditation would resume before noon.
For many in Onitsha, the malfunction served as an unwelcome reminder of the logistical hurdles that have long dogged Nigeria’s elections — and a test of INEC’s resolve to deliver a smooth, credible process in the face of inevitable challenges.
